Three Teens Arrested After Stolen Vehicles Recovered in Valdosta
VALDOSTA, Georgia – Three 14-year-olds have been charged after Valdosta police recovered two stolen vehicles and linked the juveniles to the thefts through an investigation aided by license plate reader technology.
According to the Valdosta Police Department, officers responded to two separate vehicle theft reports on the morning of May 29.
At approximately 6 a.m., a resident in the 1400 block of Sustella Avenue reported that her Nissan Rogue had been stolen from in front of her home. The victim told officers the vehicle had been left unlocked with the keys inside.
Later, at approximately 8:30 a.m., another resident in the 1500 block of Base Street reported her Hyundai Elantra had been stolen. The victim still had both sets of keys, and officers found no immediate signs of forced entry.
Investigators entered both vehicles into the FLOCK License Plate Reader database. At approximately 3:30 p.m., a Valdosta police detective received an alert indicating the stolen Nissan Rogue was traveling on Baytree Road.
Officers responded and located the vehicle as it entered the campus of Valdosta State University. During a traffic stop, the driver, a 14-year-old juvenile, fled on foot but was quickly apprehended. Two other 14-year-old occupants were detained without incident.
Detectives contacted the juveniles’ parents, who cooperated with investigators and assisted in obtaining information related to the case.
During the investigation, detectives found the key fob for the stolen Hyundai in the possession of one of the juveniles. Information provided by the juveniles led investigators to the location of the Hyundai, which was subsequently recovered.
One juvenile was charged with:
- Two counts of Motor Vehicle Theft (Felony)
- Obstruction of an Officer (Misdemeanor)
- Traffic-related offenses
The other two juveniles were charged as parties to the crime of motor vehicle theft.
The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice authorized the release of all three juveniles to their parents.
Police said detectives are continuing to investigate several theft-from-vehicle cases in which the juveniles may have been involved. Additional charges could be filed as the investigation progresses.
