CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – A 17-year-old has been charged in connection with three recent motor vehicle thefts and four vehicle burglaries in the Clarksville area.
During the course of the investigation, police determined the crimes were linked as a result of ‘car hopping’, which involves suspects combing through neighborhoods or parking lots to check for unlocked vehicles. If the vehicle is found to be unlocked and the keys are available, the suspect takes the vehicle and the property inside.
The stolen vehicles are used to drive to other areas to aid and continue the car hopping process.
“All the vehicle thefts related to these crimes were either unlocked cars or had keys available either in the stolen car or another nearby vehicle,” Clarksville Police Department spokesman Jim Knoll said.
The teen was taken into custody and transported to a juvenile detention facility.
Additional charges are expected for other suspects.
Police did not pinpoint a specific area where these thefts occurred. Crimes of this nature have been reported throughout the city.
Clarksville Police Department recommends these parking safety tips:
LOCK YOUR VEHICLE.
Always lock your car and close your windows, even for short periods of time, when your vehicle is unattended.
SECURE YOUR VALUABLES
A vehicle becomes a desirable target when you leave purses, money, laptops, and cellphones visible to a passerby. Also, leaving firearms inside of a vehicle unsecured or without some sort of positive control can be a formula for disaster.
TAKE YOUR KEYS WITH YOU
Never leave the key in the ignition or fob in the car when it is unattended or running.