MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A pair of Memphis men are behind bars after a string of car break-ins in Midtown.
Police say 20-year-old Courtney Gray and 22-year-old Carnell Scullark burglarized seven vehicles in a neighborhood near Poplar and McClean.
Investigators also say a homeowner in the neighborhood helped catch the burglars.
That homeowner ran to the window around 5 a.m. Thursday morning when he heard his neighbor’s car alarm going off. Police say the homeowner saw five men walk from his neighbor’s car and get into a tan Hyundai Sonata parked by his home on Buena Vista Place.
Investigators say he went outside, told the men he was calling 911 and then started chasing them when they took off running. They reportedly ran behind a nearby gas station on Poplar and were eventually caught by police when a clerk flagged down officers in the area.
Police say those officers went back to the neighborhood, where they discovered an Amazon package had been stolen from a resident’s Mazda.
Police say Gray and Scullark are responsible for that break-in. After further investigation, police say the two men are also responsible for six other car break-ins in the area. Investigators say they also smashed the windows of an eighth vehicle but didn’t take anything.
Astrid and Tylur French say that car belongs to their daughter’s friend who was visiting.
“It was really unnerving,” Astrid said. “To think that somebody would recklessly damage property when it’s so unnecessary. I just don’t like that that’s even the energy around here.”
Gray and Scullark were arrested and face a long list of charges, including multiple counts of motor vehicle burglary and theft of property.
“You know, if (jail) can sort of steer them in another direction that would be ideal,” Tylur said, “I mean, it’s just petty stuff that they’re doing so hopefully, it gets curtailed there.”
At this time, it’s unclear if the other men involved will be charged. Police also say the Hyundai Sonata they got into was stolen, but Scullark and Gray are not accused of stealing that car.