![]() |
Kingsport Police Department
David Quillin, Chief of Police 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 |
![]() |
|
NEWS RELEASE | |||
SUBJECT: | Two Suspects Sought in Series of Auto Burglaries and Credit Card Fraud Crimes | ||
DATE: | October 4, 2018 | ||
CASE #: | 18-025983 (Starbucks)
18-025990 (Walgreens) 18-025991 (Walmart) 18-026001 (KFC) 18-026015 (Indian Highland Park) 18-026018 (YMCA) 18-026023 (Walmart) 18-026028 (Great Body Company) |
||
GENERAL NARRATIVE | |||
K.P.D. Detectives are investigating a series of auto burglaries and credit card fraud crimes in Kingsport, all believed to be tied to the same pair of suspects.
On September 11, 2018 at approximately 1:00 PM, a woman returned to her vehicle in the parking lot of Starbucks, located at 1860 North Eastman Road, to find her window shattered and her purse stolen. Among the items in her purse were several credit cards and a Ruger .380 caliber pistol. While the victim of the above auto burglary was reporting the incident to law enforcement, she was notified that one of her stolen credit cards had already been used to make a fraudulent purchase of over $500 in merchandise at Walgreens, located at 2200 Memorial Court. The same victim’s credit card was also attempted to be utilized for an unsuccessful fraudulent purchase of over $400 in merchandise at Walmart, located at 3200 Fort Henry Drive; however, that transaction was declined. Also on September 11, 2018 at approximately 5:00 PM, another woman returned to her vehicle in the parking lot of KFC, located at 2401 Fort Henry Drive, to find her window shattered and her purse stolen. Like the first victim, her purse too contained several credit cards. She soon learned that several unsuccessful fraudulent attempts had been made using some of those stolen cards. On the same day, roughly an hour later, a third victim’s car was broken into while parked at Indian Highland Park, located at 1814 East Center Street. Just like the others, her window was shattered and two purses containing credit cards were stolen. One of her cards was soon fraudulently used to make a purchase of nearly $300 at Walmart, located at 3200 Fort Henry Drive. Also on the same day, during the same general time frame, a fourth woman returned to her vehicle in the parking lot of the YMCA, located at 1840 Meadowview Parkway, to find her window shattered and her purse stolen. Among the items in her purse was $1,600 in cash. Also on the same day, during the same general time frame, a fifth woman returned to her vehicle in the parking lot of the Great Body Company, located at 3246 Memorial Boulevard, to find her window shattered and her purse stolen. After extensive further investigation, to include a review of surveillance video footage at several of the above locations, all of these crimes are now believed to have been perpetrated by, or directly connected to, the same two suspects. Photographs of these two suspects, a black male adult and a black female adult, taken from surveillance video, have been included in this release. Anyone who recognizes either of them is asked to contact Detectives in the K.P.D. Criminal Investigations Division at 423-229-9429 or call Kingsport Central Dispatch at 423-246-9111. Alternatively, if an individual who is able to supply information related to this or any other case wishes not to be identified, tips can be submitted anonymously via online “Citizen Feedback” forms available at the following link: https://www.kingsporttn.gov/city-services/police-department/contact-us The Kingsport Police Department continues to try to educate citizens on the prevalence of auto burglaries. While this crime is often a crime of opportunity, in these particular cases it is clear that the suspects were trolling parking lots specifically looking for purses left in plain sight in vehicles. Citizens are strongly encouraged to NEVER leave their vehicles unlocked and NEVER leave items of value in their vehicles, especially not in plain sight. And firearms should NEVER be left unsecured in a motor vehicle. |
RELEASING OFFICER | ||
Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX) ThomasMPatton |