MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Another gun in the wrong hands leads to the arrest of a teenager and Memphis police issuing a stern warning.
This all started early Monday morning in northeast Memphis around Rappahannock. Another gun in the wrong hands leads to the arrest of a teenager and Memphis police issuing a stern warning.
“When I came out to go in my Nissan, the glove department was open,” Ruth Munn said.
She noticed the same thing in her other vehicle.
“I’m going what’s going on? Oh my gosh!,” she said.
Munn quickly realized someone rummaged through her vehicles, and she wasn’t alone.
Her neighbors captured the prowlers on a security camera late Monday night.
Police said they went car to car, pulled on door handles, and stole items from at least nine cars including money and a handgun.
“I didn’t have anything in my car for them to steal. I figured it was probably kids,” she said.
Munn was right. Police caught the alleged thieves: an 18-year-old and another juvenile.
They apparently told officers they hit three dozen cars that night.
“Crime knows no age. They’re just looking for opportunity,” said Louis Brownlee with the Memphis Police Department.
It’s something police have stressed for quite some time.
They said many car thieves are just kids, and they target unlocked vehicles looking for anything of value especially guns.
Lately, they’ve been getting lucky.
Since 2013 when Tennessee lawmakers decided to allow guns in cars without a permit, more and more firearms were reported stolen from cars.
More juveniles have also been getting caught with stolen guns. Some of them used in carjackings and robberies.
Brownlee said again, it’s a reminder to not leaving anything of value in your car and “lock your doors! Lock your doors. It’s as simple as that.”
Munn also hopes this is a wake-up call for parents.
“Make sure you know where your children are. Midnight? Everybody needs to be at home,” she said.
