A Lakeland man charged with six felonies after being accused of abandoning a truck, stealing another at gunpoint and then crashing it into a fence an hour later is now facing 21 more charges.

LAKELAND — A Lakeland man charged with six felonies after being accused of abandoning a truck, stealing another at gunpoint and then crashing it into a fence an hour later is now facing 21 more charges.



Tyler Demalignon, 24, of 1600 Westgate Ave. S., has been linked to a string of car jackings and other thefts.



According to reports from the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Demalignon is accused of:



■ The theft of a 1995 Lincoln Towncar on Feb. 5 from the BP station at 2045 Ariana St., Lakeland.



The car's owner, Demetre Dupree, told detectives that a man asked for a ride. Dupree declined and went into the gas station. He said that because of issues with his battery, he had left the car running and when he came out, it was gone.



Two days later, the car was found in the backyard of a Lakeland home, parked on top of a tree stump.



■ The theft of a 2004 Ford Taurus. Reports say Lynn Adams gave Demalignon a ride to Wal-Mart on Feb. 15. She had met him at Love's Truck Stop in Auburndale. Afterward, Adams stopped at Wendy's and left the car running while she went inside. When she came back out, her car was gone.



■ The theft of a temporary paper tag. On Feb. 20, Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander came out of the Cobb Lakeside 18 movie theater to find the temporary tag on his truck missing. Verlander told detectives he thought the paper tag had blown off, but it was on the back of Adams' Taurus, which was full of stolen goods and found abandoned in a Lakeland neighborhood.



■ Breaking into seven vehicles, and stealing more than $1,000 in belongings, including GPS systems, an iPhone 6, cash, house keys, women's clothing and 20 Disney DVDs, according to reports.



■ Stealing a Dodge Ram. The truck was taken from a house a few doors down from where the Taurus was found. Another vehicle in the driveway was ransacked and heavily damaged.



■ Hijacking a Dodge utility truck. Early on Feb. 22, a Dodge Ram that Demalignon is accused of stealing broke down alongside Airport Road near the Polk Parkway. He waved down Todd Bixby, 41, who was stopped in traffic. Bixby told detectives Demalignon walked to the window of his Dodge utility truck and pointed a black bag at him, saying, "I have a gun. Don't try anything or I will shoot you," before forcing his way into the passenger seat.



Demalignon reportedly had Bixby drive to Blueberry Drive in Lakeland, where Bixby was ordered to get out of the truck, take off his pants, and lay in a ditch, according to reports. Bixby complied and Demalignon drove off.



Just after 7 a.m., officers spotted the Dodge near George Jenkins Boulevard. Demalignon attempted to outrace the officers but crashed into another vehicle and then into a fence at 135 E. First St., police said.



Demalignon is being held in the Polk County Jail without bail on 27 charges from the Lakeland Police Department, Sheriff's Office and the State Attorney's Office, including armed kidnapping, robbery with a firearm, grand theft and armed burglary with assault and battery.



— Clifford Parody can be contacted at clifford.parody@theledger.com and 863-802-7550. Follow him on Twitter @CliffordParody.