NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — A troubling trend has emerged in East Nashville, as car burglaries continue to rise, leaving the community frustrated and on edge. Metro Police is currently working to identify two suspects believed to be behind a string of vehicle break-ins in the area.
Tuesday afternoon, authorities confirmed that the two young men are connected to a burglary that took place on Slaydon Drive on December 28.
The suspects reportedly stole keys to a white Ford F-150 and drove off with the vehicle. Police believe this same truck has been used in several other break-ins across East Nashville, adding to the growing list of reported incidents.
These crimes have become an ongoing problem, and Metro Police are actively investigating a series of similar break-ins.
On Tuesday evening, officers addressed the issue during an East Nashville Police Precinct community meeting. Residents gathered in the precinct to voice their concerns about the alarming uptick in vehicle break-ins.
David Carr, a local resident, shared his frustration, stating, “We’ve been in the neighborhood for about two years, and this is our first time to get broken into.”
Carr said the day his car was targeted, more than 50 vehicles were burglarized in the area.
He and his neighbors are demanding solutions to stop the cycle of break-ins.
“We were all very concerned about it. It just happens too often, too many times,” he said.
Commander Harold Burke of Metro Police’s East Precinct acknowledged the frustration of the community.
“Looking at the report that comes out every week, there’s 83 reported motor vehicles broken into,” Burke said. However, he noted that this number could be misleading, as several break-ins may be reported on a single incident, such as when multiple cars are burglarized at an apartment complex.
While the number of reported vehicle burglaries continues to rise, the issue is complicated by the fact that many of the suspects are juveniles.
Police have linked the spike in crime to the recent school holiday break.
"One thing that we have to look at over the past two weeks is that schools went out, right? So, typically, when school’s out, you see an increase in these types of crimes,” Burke said.
Under current laws, car break-ins are classified as property crimes, and many of the young offenders are in and out of custody as quickly as they are in and out of vehicles.
In response to the issue, the precinct has been increasing patrols and implementing overtime shifts in areas with higher rates of break-ins.
“We can’t say exactly where these juveniles are going to be, but we do go to the areas where there is a propensity for the crimes to occur,” Burke said.
In the meantime, the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) urges residents to “Park Smart” and leave nothing of value visible in their vehicles.
Many residents, including Carr, have taken these precautions, ensuring they don’t leave anything valuable in their cars.
“We’ve made sure that we didn’t have things out in the car that looked like it was valuable... but yet they felt like they’re going to check our car out,” Carr said.
While there have been some arrests this week, Carr has suggested an additional solution to help combat the problem: adding speed bumps to neighborhoods to slow down criminals and prevent quick getaways. He believes this could act as both a deterrent and a tool to help prevent further break-ins in the area.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at kelsey.gibbs@newschannel5.com
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