A routine mosquito inspection led to the recovery of an all-terrain vehicle stolen last month from the Flagler Turtle Patrol.
An East Flagler Mosquito Control District field technician found the ATV at about 10 a.m. Monday, July 13, while conducting a regular inspection in a heavily wooded area near Marineland. He notified the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office right away.
The technician, John Dunlop, has worked for the District since 2022. While out on his usual inspection route, he came across the ATV and recognized it as the vehicle reported stolen.
The Original Theft
The ATV was taken on June 17 from a shed behind the Turtle Patrol’s facility in Marineland on North Ocean Shore Boulevard. The theft also included an iPad the volunteer group used to record data for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Without the ATV, volunteers were forced to patrol the beach on foot during the height of sea turtle nesting season, until community donations paid for a replacement vehicle.
The iPad was not recovered along with the ATV. Sheriff’s Office crime scene technicians have collected evidence from the recovered vehicle, and the investigation into the theft is continuing.
A Job That Covers Ground Most People Never See
Field technicians with the East Flagler Mosquito Control District spend much of their workday on foot, inspecting and treating mosquito breeding sites across the district. That work often takes them into areas of Flagler County that most residents never visit.
Dunlop, a native Floridian, said he grew up playing in the swamps along the Tomoka River and still spends much of his free time outdoors with his wife and two sons.
“We never know what we’ll come upon in the areas we inspect,” Dunlop said. “Usually, it’s something that wants to bite you. This was a nice surprise.”
Mike Martin, chairman of the East Flagler Mosquito Control District Board of Commissioners, credited the discovery to the district’s daily fieldwork. “This is exactly the outcome that comes from having dedicated people in the field every single day,” Martin said. “Our technicians know this district inch by inch because inspecting and treating mosquito habitats requires them to cover ground that most people don’t even think about. Without hesitation, John saw something and said something; this is the caliber of our entire staff.”
The East Flagler Mosquito Control District is an independent special taxing district funded by property taxes. It was formed in 1952, and its mission is to reduce mosquito populations that can cause illness or discomfort, while limiting environmental impact.
