Fighting for Rutherford County

Murfreesboro Police Department crime data analysts utilized automatic license plate reader (ALPR) technology to aid in the arrest of two teenagers for two separate smash-and-grab burglaries. Detectives have also taken out juvenile petitions on a third teen. The burglaries resulted in the theft of dozens of firearms in May and June.

Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) and the Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF) assisted in capturing one burglar in Davidson County on Monday, June 1. The 17-year-old faces 40 felony charges, including 36 counts of theft of a firearm, burglary, theft over $10,000, theft over $2,500, and vandalism over $10,000. Authorities also interviewed a 15-year-old who surrendered to Murfreesboro police on Tuesday, June 2. He's facing the same charges, plus others. Detectives have secured juvenile petitions for a second 15-year-old, who is currently in custody at the Davidson County Juvenile Detention Center on unrelated charges.

The teens, along with several others, allegedly rammed a stolen Kia Sol into the side door of Mid Tenn's Pawn & Loan on Northwest Broad Street at about 3:30 a.m. on Monday, June 1. Officers discovered several glass display cases broken and three dozen firearms missing. Surveillance footage shows seven people involved in the burglary.

Crime data analysts from the Murfreesboro Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center reviewed private ALPR video from a Nashville condominium complex. The analysts noticed a Honda CR-V circling the parking lot before the two Kias were stolen. A tag number from the Honda CR-V led authorities to one of the teens' homes, where several of the stolen firearms were recovered.

The 15-year-old who surrendered is also suspected of a similar burglary at Black Frog Arms & Range on North Thompson Lane around 3:40 a.m. on May 2. In that incident, burglars also drove a stolen Kia Sol into the business's front doors and stole multiple firearms. He is facing 26 additional felony charges for the Black Frog burglary.

Murfreesboro Police Department Property Crimes detectives continue to investigate both burglaries. They are working to identify the other suspects involved in both incidents.

The 17-year-old and 15-year-old were booked into the Rutherford County Juvenile Detention Center. Both appeared before a juvenile court magistrate for a detention hearing on Wednesday, June 3. They will remain in custody until their next hearing, scheduled for September 21.