Empty-handed juveniles arrested for series of vehicle break-ins
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Six juveniles who broke into a series of vehicles along East Laurel Street last week got nothing but trouble for their trouble.
Atmore police reported December 19 that the six teens — all between the ages of 14 and 17 —were taken into custody after officers spotted “several suspicious people” in the city street’s 700 block. Four of the youngsters fled on foot when they saw the officer, who was able to detain two of them as they tried to leave in a vehicle.
More officers arrived and formed a perimeter. The teens’ luck continued to go bad as a policeman who lives in the area heard the activity and employed his drone to locate and detain the four subjects who had fled on foot.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the six subjects, five of whom have been in trouble with the law before, had been driving around Atmore and had stopped at several locations to check the doors of vehicles. If a vehicle was unlocked, one of the juveniles would make entry and search for anything of value.
However, they apparently had come up empty on each of their attempts.
“From what I understand, and I could be wrong, I don’t think they actually got anything,” Sgt. Darrell McMann said. “Five of them were on probation and were transported to Bay Minette. Petitions were filed on them for the new charges and a petition was filed on the other juvenile.”
Police had received several complaints throughout the morning after homeowners realized there were signs of activity at their residences during the night. Home surveillance footage captured several of the incidents as they took place.
All six juveniles were charged with numerous counts of unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle. The five who were already on probation were taken to a juvenile detention facility in Bay Minette.
McMann reminded residents and visitors to lock their cars when they vacate them.