MEMPHIS, Tenn.– With auto burglaries on the rise across the Bluff City, the Memphis Police Department is reaffirming its commitment and working to reduce car thefts as it continues to impact the city.
Part of the crackdown brought them to Oakhaven Wednesday, where a member of the Auto Theft Task Force was conducting an investigation. Police said three men in a stolen vehicle ambushed the officer and shot him. Thankfully, he’s ok.
Recently, Memphis Police started conducting surveillance on various parts of the city where stolen vehicles are being dropped off. Chief CJ Davis called the operation necessary.
“That’s a challenge that the department and not just the department but the nation has had as it relates to carjacking and serious egregious type of auto thefts,” Davis said.
After a brief pursuit, police arrested the trio believed to be responsible for shooting the officer. Two out of three of the suspects are teenagers which is troubling to many like community activist Peggy Robinson.
“I was so hurt to see that our children is so caught up in so much violence stuff, to hurt people, to hurt themselves, to hurt their parents,” Robinson said.
The Memphis Police Auto Theft Task Force is made up of multiple agencies across the region. Data in regard to the progress they have made was not immediately available, but it puts folks like Robinson at ease knowing they are trying to address auto thefts.
“It’s working, it may not solve all our problems but they doing what they suppose to do. I think they did a wonderful job, I know they did a wonderful job —when they life was on the line yesterday,” Robinson said.
We have put in a request for statistics about results from the Auto Theft Task Force. Once we get that information, we will pass it along.
