MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis police have found a vehicle they believe is connected to a string of thefts targeting women.
Lt. Karen Rudolph told WREG one man was arrested Wednesday afternoon at a Citgo station at Perkins and American Way.
According to police it all started Monday morning after a silver Honda Civic was stolen from the Grizzly Mart at Third and Horn Lake Road.
The following day, the same vehicle was reportedly used in four thefts in less than six hours.
Store worker says door of Citgo broken as a man scuffled with officer.They are cleaning up broken glass…says guy was pumping gas into Honda when officer showed up behind him & man ran into the store. Police confirm this car was used in multiple robberies this week @3onyourside pic.twitter.com/hvlsQiyoep
— Shay Arthur (@ShayA_WREG3) May 23, 2018
The first theft victim told police she was pumping gas at the Kroger in Poplar Plaza on Tuesday afternoon when she felt the car being tugged. She turned around to find a young male inside her vehicle and a silver Honda Civic parked next to her car.
The suspect, she said, was trying to take the keys out of the ignition.
Caught, the suspect grabbed the suspects’ wallet instead and jumped into the getaway car.
Several hours later, another woman was sitting in her Kia Sorento in the 1200 block of Ridgeway when she said a male jumped into her car and began rummaging through her things.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
He reportedly replied “It’s okay. You know me. Do you have anything?”
Scared, the woman exited the vehicle and ran to a friend’s car as the other woman was pulling into the parking lot. The women were able to describe the suspect as a younger man with a low cut haircut and a small tuft of hair on the back of his head.
During the next theft, the suspect didn’t say a word, police said. Instead, he reportedly just opened the woman’s door as she was sitting in the 6100 block of Mt Moriah, grabbed her purse and took off.
From there they drove to Neils Grille and Bar on Quince where they once again simply opened the passenger side door, grabbed the victim’s purse and took off.
In that case, the suspect reportedly got away with a cellphone, bank cards and other personal items.
However, that victim was able to give police additional information saying there were three suspects total — two men and a young woman. The thief appeared to be around 20 years old.
