Teen steals AR-15 and ammo from a police car -- then brags about it on social media

A teenager stole an AR-15 from a police car, but authorities caught the thief and recovered the weapon after he decided his Instagram followers needed to see what he'd done, according to the New York Post.

The teenager, 17-year-old Moses Clay Jr., stole the gun, some ammunition, and other items from an unmarked Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office car that was parked at a shopping center.

"It is unfortunate, yes, but law enforcement officers are human beings and forget to lock their car doors sometimes too," said an official from the Boynton Beach Police Department, which tracked down the thief. "Fortunately, our detectives were able to quickly identify the suspect and get the firearm out of the hands of a criminal."

How did they catch him?

Clay took the AR-15 along with two loaded magazines, a gas mask, a Taser, a ballistic helmet, and rifle clips out of the vehicle while the Palm Beach deputy had his car parked for several hours at a shopping center. His intentions after stealing the gun are unknown.

He got away without being detected, but when he got home he decided to get on Instagram Live to share what he had done. Police said Clay waved the gun in the air and danced to rap music.

Someone who saw the video tipped off Boynton Beach police, who had already been alerted about the missing items by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Detectives got a search warrant based on the video, searched Clay's home and found the gun under a mattress. They arrested the teen and charged him with grand theft and burglary while armed with a firearm.

The officer who left the vehicle unlocked will be subject to an internal review, and could face disciplinary action. He has not been identified.

Some community members on Facebook were not pleased about the officer's carelessness.

"This could have turned out much worse if someone was killed with that firearm," a user wrote in a comment on the Boynton Beach Police post about the gun. "The officer responsible for the firearm deserves to be held accountable for the theft of this weapon. I would be!!!"