Police urge residents to lock their vehicles, remove guns & valuables after rash of auto burglaries
Murfreesboro Police Department (MPD) Crimes Against Property detectives are urging residents to lock their automobiles and remove valuables after multiple car break-ins where 13 firearms have been stolen over the past month.
MPD officers responded to 81 burglaries to motor vehicles between March 1 and April 5. The recent rash occurred from Joe B. Jackson Pkwy. to the Brinkley Road area in the Blackman community. More than a dozen firearms were stolen out of the vehicles.
Detectives are currently attempting to identify several persons of interest from car burglaries that occurred on Stockwell Dr., Burrows Ave., Columnar Ct., Westlawn Blvd., and Aragorn Way.
No arrests have been made in the car burglaries. The investigation continues.
If you have any information that could help identify these individuals, contact MPD Criminal Investigations Division at 615.893.2717.
In addition to car burglaries, there have also been several vehicles stolen in the city. According to detectives, the doors to all the stolen vehicles were unlocked with the key fob inside.
Detectives arrested 19-year-old Antonio Gooch and 18-year-old Keonza Scales charging them with motor vehicle theft for two of the cases.
“We want to remind people to secure their vehicles, not leave firearms unattended and spare keys inside them,” said Detective Sergeant Tommy Massey. “These few simple steps could be beneficial in helping to curb the rash of burglaries to autos and also motor vehicle thefts.”
Scales was released on $40,000 bond and Gooch was released on $24,500 bond from the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. Gooch has a hearing set for May 4, and Scale’s hearing is set for May 5 in Rutherford County General Sessions Court.
Murfreesboro police have an ongoing campaign called the ‘9PM Routine’ whereby they encourage people to lock the doors on their vehicles and homes by 9 p.m. every night.
Police also have free guns locks available for Murfreesboro residents at the Murfreesboro Police Department located at 1004 N. Highland Ave.
