Auto Theft/Warming-Up Vehicles

December 17, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Auto Theft detectives today arrested four teenagers suspected of stealing at least 14 vehicles from neighborhoods in Hermitage, South Nashville and LaVergne that were left to warm up by their owners. Darius Collins, 19, of North 5th Street, Keith Potter, 18, of McKeige Drive, Thomas Gooch, 18, of Luann Court, and a 16-year-old were taken into custody without incident at Potter’s home. Outside the residence were two vehicles that had recently been stolen from LaVergne. After interviewing the suspects this afternoon, Auto Theft detectives determined that the four are responsible for a recent rash of stolen vehicles. They would ride through neighborhoods and apartment complexes in the early morning hours looking for cars and trucks that had been left unlocked and running. They would steal the vehicles, joyride in them for a few days, and then abandon them. Several were left at Rutherford Pointe Apartments in LaVergne. All four suspects will be charged with multiple counts of auto theft. “The Auto Theft Unit did an outstanding job identifying and arresting these teenagers, who had no intention of cutting back on their thievery,” Chief Ronal Serpas said. The Metropolitan Police Department strongly cautions citizens not to abandon vehicles as they warm up, and to not leave running vehicles unattended outside convenience stores and other businesses. Doing so makes things very easy for auto thieves. Officer Troy Meadows Hermitage Precinct Community Affairs Unit Metro-Nashville Police Department Phone 880-1781