A total of 1,203 guns were stolen from vehicles in Nashville last year, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD).
Read the full storyMore than 1,200 Guns Were Taken from Vehicles in Nashville Last Year, MNPD Says
Tag: Auto Theft
Knox County Sheriff Says Viral TikTok Challenge Lead to Officer-Involved Shooting
Knox County’s Sheriff said in a Tuesday press conference that a shootout between two teens and his deputies, the result of a car theft, stemmed from a TikTok challenge.
“This case involved a TikTok challenge where you steal a vehicle, drive it for a day or two and then ditch it,” Sheriff Tom Spangler said in the press conference. “Some of the TikTok challenges that are out there are pretty disturbing. I’m sure that if some of our parents were aware of some of the things that are going on, I hope it would be safe to say they wouldn’t be real happy about that.”
Read the full storyMetro Nashville Police Release Helicopter Video of 16-Year Old Driving a Stolen Vehicle, Eluding Officers on Foot
The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) released a video last week taken from a helicopter showing a 16-year-old boy leading officers on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle before fleeing on foot.
“For the 4TH TIME this year, a 16 yr old Nashvillian has been arrested for car theft. Tue night he was driving a Hyundai, stolen in Clarksville on 8/5. He refused to stop for officers. An MNPD helicopter followed him to Judd Dr., where he was arrested & a 2nd stolen vehicle found,” MNPD wrote in a tweet in addition to sharing the video taken from above the scene.
Read the full storyInmate Escapes from Meigs County Jail
Deputies are searching for an escaped convict who disappeared Sunday from the Meigs County Jail, according to several reports.
Dustin Cody Miller was reportedly in recreation time when he escaped the Meigs County Jail Sunday.
Read the full storyConnecticut Governor Signs Auto Theft Prevention Bill
Car thieves in Connecticut will be seeing a swifter response from law enforcement.
Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont, up for reelection in the Aug. 9 primary, signed Public Act 22-115 into law this week. The measure updates criminal justice statutes in the state, while providing law enforcement and the courts to act quickly while more effectively responding to youth that are charged with repeated car theft violations.
Read the full storyMinnesota Car Dealerships Now Offering Catalytic Converter ‘Theft Deterrent’
Catalytic converter thefts have become such a problem that some car dealerships are now charging $60 for theft deterrent services.
The Rudy Luther Toyota dealership in Minnetonka is now offering to spray catalytic converters with “high-temp, flame-proof orange paint” and engrave VIN numbers on the converter casing.
A sign at Rudy Luther Toyota in Minnetonka promotes “catalytic converter theft deterrent” services.
Even still, the dealership “does not guarantee against catalytic converter theft” but hopes “the installation of our product” will encourage thieves to “move on to an easier target.”
Read the full storyMetro Nashville Police Forced To School People In The Obvious: Don’t Leave Your Keys In Your Car
It seems like it should go without saying. But Metro Nashville police find themselves having to remind people to remove their keys from their cars when they park. A review of stolen vehicle reports in Nashville from March 26 through April 1 showed that 39 of 49, or 80 percent, of vehicles taken were easy targets because the keys were left or made available to thieves, according to a MNPD news release. Even more shocking: 17 of the 49 vehicles stolen were left running without the driver present. The problem is nothing new, especially at convenience stores. In 2000, the MNPD launched a program called Park Smart! and began putting up signs at convenience markets to remind people of the obvious. And they still need reminding. The recent news release said that the police department “strongly urges citizens to lock their automobile doors, secure any valuables and REMOVE THE KEYS.”
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