Teens arrested, accused of stealing soccer star Abby Wambach’s car in Naples

Naples police reported they recently arrested three juveniles in connection with the burglary and theft of a car belonging to former soccer star Abby Wambach, who posted an angry message about the alleged crimes on Instagram.

The juveniles were arrested by Naples detectives Dec. 15 on charges of grand theft and auto theft. The juveniles, whose names are not being released because they are minors, admitted committing the crimes when interviewed, police said. The youths were taken to the Collier County Jail.

Wambach — a longtime U.S. soccer player and Olympic gold medalist — and her wife, Glennon Doyle Melton, told police that someone entered Wambach’s car parked in the driveway of their Crayton Road home between 1:30 and 4:30 a.m. Dec. 6.

In a post on Instagram, Wambach said the burglars stole valuables and wrote hate speech with a permanent marker all over the inside of the car, according to the post.

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The Dec. 6 Instagram post said a neighbor's surveillance camera recorded video of the burglars, with one wearing a hoodie and cargo shorts and another wearing an Ohio State cap, a gray top, and Nike shorts and shoes. The burglars left fingerprints on the car door.

“Neighbors camera got you, you idiots!! If you turn yourself in now, and return the stolen property, and pay for the car damages we won’t press charges,” Wambach wrote on the Instagram post. “If you don’t, you are going to jail. You have 24 hours.”

Naples police declined to comment on what type of hate speech was found in the vehicle.

But a police report mentions that someone used a permanent marker to draw "a large penis ... on the sunroof cover within the vehicle." The report also includes that items stolen were a Louis Vuitton purse worth $3,000, a Louis Vuitton wallet ($1,000), gift cards ($1,000), sunglasses ($300) and makeup ($250). 

Two of the three arrested attend Gulf Coast High School in North Naples, the police report states. Two of those arrested are 15, while the other is 14, police said. 

Two of the three each face four charges: grand theft of a motor vehicle worth less than $100,000; grand theft from a motor vehicle, worth between $300 and $5,000; burglary without a weapon; and criminal mischief.

The third suspect was charged with one count of  grand theft of a motor vehicle worth less than $100,000. 

Wambach retired in 2015, ending a 15-year international career that started with her national team debut at age 21 against Germany, according to the U.S. Soccer Federation’s website.

She played in four Women’s World Cup tournaments and was a member of the 2015 Women’s World Cup champions. She won Olympic gold medals in 2004 in Athens and 2012 in London.

She retired as the leading scorer in the history of international soccer with 184 goals, according to a 2015 U.S. Soccer news release.

She married Doyle Melton, a best-selling author, in May.