This Florida man tried to steal one truck that would have given him lifetime protection from mosquitoes 

Mosquitoes are a major problem this year for Florida residents.

The Florida Department of Health has issued mosquito-borne illness advisories in several counties for diseases like West Nile virus and dengue.

That is why this Florida man tried to steal one truck that would have given him lifetime protection from mosquitoes.

Even though they weigh an average of 2.5 milligrams, mosquitoes are the deadliest “animal” in the world.

Mosquitoes transmit malaria, which kills more than one million people each year in Africa and elsewhere.

In fact, Alexander the Great is rumored to have died from malaria in 323 B.C.

There are more than 2,700 species of mosquito in the world and 176 of them can be found in the United States.

Only females bite and the average mosquito takes in about 5 millionths of a liter of blood during feeding.

For those who hate mosquitoes, West Virginia has the fewest species in the U.S.

Texas has the most species with 85, and Florida is a close second with 80.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 27 locally acquired dengue cases reported in Florida this year.

Some counties in Florida have been practicing mitigation strategies against the bugs.

Orange County, Florida has an employee tasked with the sole job of keeping the mosquito population under control.

On Monday, the employee pulled his mosquito control truck off to the side of the road to perform a routine check on activity in the area.

The employee exited the truck, left it running, and proceeded to carry out his duties.  

“Officers report a government employee had parked his truck and left it running while performing routine mosquito activity checks,” Fox35 reported.

While performing his duties, a man rode up on an electric bicycle, and what he did next left the employee shocked.

The man, 36-year-old Mario Powers, suddenly abandoned his bicycle, hopped into the mosquito truck, and put the pedal to the metal.

“Officials said while the employee checked the ditch, an unidentified man rode up on an electric bicycle and stole the truck,” ClickOrlando reported. “The bike was left at the scene, and the employee was not injured.

According to the police, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office was notified that the truck had been spotted in Brevard County and was headed in their direction.

Police spread Stop Sticks along the road in order to stop the truck.

“Deputies say they followed the truck, and the man continued to drive despite multiple flat tires from deployed stop sticks,” Fox35 reported. “The man eventually stopped in Sanford at the intersection of West 22nd Street and Cedar Avenue.”

Powers was arrested after he drove recklessly when he hit the Stop Sticks.

Police found drugs in the truck.

Powers was arrested without incident and tossed in jail.

DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.