Police Investigate Series of Burglaries and Auto Thefts
WEST JACKSON — Jackson police are investigating a series of burglaries and auto thefts from Sunday to Monday morning. Around 12:45 a.m. Sunday, a patrol officer saw the rear gate to Auto America at 163 Airways Blvd. opened by apparent force. The intruder had also broken the glass to the front door and gained entry. “This type of thing is terrible for anybody to have happen at their business no matter what time of year it is, but to have it happen three days before Christmas, it’s like throwing a little extra salt in the wound,” Auto America worker Gerren Spears said. The owner responded and determined that items were missing from inside the business including several sets of vehicle keys. A 2006 Dodge Magnum and 2005 Nissan Armada had also been stolen. “They took a truck and rammed the fence and went through it, took another car and took it off the lot, and they came and ransacked the building,” Auto America owner Stanley Spear said. “And then it looked like they saw the key box and stole all the keys.” The Magnum was recovered on Wells-Lassiter Road and the Armada was recovered at Denmark Elementary School late Sunday night. Around 1:20 a.m. Monday, police were patrolling the parking lot of Auto America and found another section of gate that appeared to be damaged. The owner was called back to the scene. He reported that a 2008 Cadillac CTS and a 2004 Ford Mustang were missing. Around 3:40 a.m. Monday, police responded to an alarm at Whitehall Pre-K at 532 Whitehall Street. Officers found the stolen 2008 Cadillac CTS. Officers also found a broken window on the backside of the school. Police found electronic items near the window that had apparently been left by the burglar. Police are working with school officials to determine if anything was stolen. While police were at the school, officers saw a man run from the school. He was described as a black male with short dreadlock-style hair or twists. He was 5′ 10″ to 6′ with a thin build. He was wearing a yellow and black jacket with a hood and black pants. The man was last seen running through a yard on Elizabeth Street and toward Tomlin Street. Around 7:05 a.m. Monday, police responded to an auto theft that had just occurred at Auto America. Officers were told that a 2004 Cadillac CTS had just been stolen. Police quickly responded but were unable to find the stolen car. The Cadillac was recovered on Middle Avenue around 10:40 a.m. Monday. The only car that was stolen and still missing from Auto America is the silver 2004 Ford Mustang. “(Now we’re) just on the lookout and don’t know when these guys are going to come back,” Gerren Spears said. “It could be a week from now or a month from now. They’ve got the keys to my inventory, so it feels like it never ends.” Anyone with information on any of the burglaries or auto thefts is asked to contact the Jackson Police Department’s General Investigations Bureau at 731-425-8400 or Crime Stoppers at 731-424-8477 (TIPS). Submit a cyber tip at jmcrimestoppers.org and click on “web tips”.
