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Shark tooth hunters arrested at construction site
The signs say no trespassing, but North Port police say that didn't keep people out of construction sites in the West Villages area. Five hunters were looking for shark teeth and were charged with trepassing. FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon reports.
NORTH PORT, Fla. - Five fossil hunters face felony charges after police caught them searching for shark teeth at a private North Port construction site.
Searching for shark teeth
What we know:
North Port police responded to a trespassing call at a construction site near U.S. 41 and West Villages Parkway.
Officers said the area had multiple no trespassing signs posted.
Courtesy: North Port Police Department
The five shark-tooth enthusiasts were arrested after entering the property to dig for fossils.
Beyond legal felony trespassing charges, officers warned that heavy rain combined with deep excavation pits made the ground unstable and dangerous.
Courtesy: North Port Police Department
Dangerous excavation hazards
What they're saying:
'The reality of this is you are trespassing on private property, and it is extremely, extremely dangerous," said Brittany Kammerer, the public information officer for North Port Police.
Authorities warned that digging in excavation pits up to 15 feet deep creates extreme cave-in risks, pointing out that a woman was trapped in a similar hole in 2023 when dirt collapsed on her.
"You have these holes which could be 12 to 15 feet deep, and they're going down in there. They're bringing equipment of their own. They're bringing sump pumps, and they're getting down in these holes looking for these sharks' teeth, which is great, and it's fun, and we get that, but it's so dangerous. If that dirt falls in on you, you can die," she explained.
Safer fossil hunting spots
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released the identities of the five people arrested or confirmed if they face additional charges. Police also did not specify the exact street address of the construction site.
Courtesy: North Port Police Department
Safer Fossil destination
What you can do:
Rather than risking arrest or injury on dangerous private property, fossil hunters can search for shark teeth legally across Southwest Florida.
Local public spots include Peace River, Caspersen Beach, Venice Beach, Manasota Key Beach, Nokomis Beach and North Jetty Beach.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the North Port Police Department, which explained how officers responded to the trespassing call and detailed the arrest in a social media post.