CHARLOTTE — A juvenile has been arrested and two more suspects are still wanted after more than 180 cars were broken into in the SouthPark, Myers Park, and Dilworth neighborhoods of Charlotte.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said the crimes happened on Dec. 14 and Dec. 18.
On Dec. 14 around 1:30 a.m., officers were call to the SouthPark Mall area. There, they found several vehicles had been broken into and items were stolen from them. The victims told police it happened either late on Dec. 13 or early on Dec. 14.
Police discovered more break-ins, learning a total of 84 cars were broken into that day in the SouthPark and Myers Park area. Those are listed below:
- Five vehicles on Sharon Road, near the mall
- Eighteen vehicles on Sharon Road, near the mall
- Twenty-six vehicles in the 800 block of Cherokee Road, off Providence Road near Queens Road
- Seventeen vehicles on Roswell Avenue, off Queens Road West
- Two vehicles on Cameron Valley Parkway, off Fairview Road
- Nine vehicles at a condominium complex on Queens Road West
- Seven vehicles at an apartment complex on Queens Road West, near Selwyn Avenue
Tricia Parrish lives in the 2100 Queens condo building off Queens Road West.
“My whole window was all shattered,” Parrish said.
Her car was parked in the garage with several other vehicles that were broken into.
“Nothing had been taken,” Parrish said. “Everything had just been taken out of my glovebox and my console.”
Parrish said she felt violated after someone she didn’t know went through her vehicle.
“I decided that it was too ridiculous to have somebody’s grimy hands all over,” Parrishs said. “There are still glass particles despite cleaning it pretty well.”
The suspects also got into her daughter’s car.
“Her doors were unlocked so really no damage because it’s a soft-top Jeep,” she said. “Her console was broken, and the glovebox and everything rummaged through.”
A snapshot from security cameras appears to capture what victims think were the suspects.
“I think it’s disturbing, and I think that there must be a very sad epidemic (for people) looking to steal,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s guns, money, jewelry, and they’re going to all measures.”
Dilworth break-ins
Detectives learned the same three suspects accused in those cases had also broken into 100 cars at two apartment complexes in Dilworth. Those happened early on Monday -- four days later.
According to police, 92 vehicles were broken into at the Camden Dilworth apartments on Kenilworth Avenue. Channel 9 reported that case on Tuesday.
“You just see sparkling everywhere,” Thomas Bennett told Channel 9′s Genevieve Curtis. “It looked like diamonds, but it’s all just shattered glass.”
According to the police reports, nothing of high value was taken from any of the cars. They list items like clothing and glasses, for example. Bennett said the only thing taken from his car was a pair of old AirPods.
“To break out all the windows and the moonroof, you’re making a statement and just being a terrible person,” he said.
In addition, police said just down the street at 1010 Dilworth Apartments, eight cars were broken into.
Police have identified two suspects in the cases and are working to identify the third.
The juvenile turned himself into police early Tuesday and was charged with auto theft, breaking into a motor vehicle, larceny after breaking into a motor vehicle, and conspiracy. He was released into the custody of his mother after police were unable to take out a secure custody order. Later in the day, CMPD got the custody order and the kid was back in custody.
CMPD said the juvenile “has a lengthy criminal history and is known to officers.”
Parrish, one of the boy’s alleged victims, said she feels sorry for him.
“I think he needs to be in much more of a strict guardianship,” Parrish said. “And somebody watching over him. He’s certainly crying out for help.”
As for the other suspects, police identified one as 19-year-old Hannah Jayna Freeman. Officers tried to arrest her Tuesday but she sped away from officers in a stolen vehicle. Investigators said she will be charged with more than 100 criminal violations tied to the investigation.
Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600, or click here.
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