Car burglaries in Smyrna

The DNJ has an article this morning about a rash of car burglaries in a Smyrna neighborhood. Details from the article:

A string of car burglaries was reported last week in a Smyrna neighborhood.

Rutherford County Sheriff's Deputies Ray Roberts, Heather Greenwood and Pat Garrett responded to Shirley Road around 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

Roberts spoke with Thomas Keel and his wife, Donna, who told him that someone had broken into their 2003 Chevrolet Silverado, as well as the garage and the home at 301 Shirley Road, according to a report. A DVD-VCR player, a camcorder and a brass tea set valued at $50 were taken.

The report stated that the Keels and their 16-year-old daughter were asleep in the home when it was entered.

While Roberts was talking to the Keels, the neighbor at 305 Shirley Road, Kenneth J. Concilla, alerted the officer that his garage window had been broken. His 1993 GMC Sonoma pickup truck was gone, and an AM/FM radio was removed.

Tim Poteete, of 356 Shirley Road, told Officer Greenwood that his 2003 Silverado truck had been "rummaged through" over night. He had left the truck unlocked.

"When he got ready to go to work ... he noticed items in his glove box in disarray," Greenwood said.

There was a gym bag in the truck which had been opened, the report said. A Sirius Radio receiver was moved, but it was not taken. It did not appear at the time that anything had been stolen.

Detective Ralph Mayercik believes that those who burglarized the vehicles may be amateur, based on what was taken and what was left.

"Whoever it was, they were pretty bold to be entering one of the homes," he said.

Poteete further reported that his wife, who is a school bus driver, mentioned seeing a vehicle at the end of a road next to the Poteetes' driveway as she was leaving that morning. The vehicle had its lights off, except for the flashers, according to Poteete's report. When the driver noticed her, the lights came on, and the car drove off traveling toward Baker Road, he stated. She could not provide a description of the vehicle.

While Greenwood was driving through the neighborhood, she noticed a car door open at 309 Shirley Road. A box of books was lying on the ground next to the car. According to the report, Greenwood spoke with Veronica Hartman, the owner of the car. She stated that the box belonged inside the car. Although the car had been looked through, Hartman reported it appeared that nothing had been taken from the vehicle.

Chris Gabrielli, at 341 Shirley Road, reported to Officer Garrett that someone had opened his unlocked car sometime during the night while it was sitting in the driveway. A stereo face plate and three compact discs were stolen. Gabrielli told Garrett he recalled hearing a neighbor's dog barking, which seemed unusual, but he did not look outside to see why.

A box was later recovered from a ditch across the street from the Keels' home that belonged to Hartman containing a glass and a box of matches.

Other items belonging to some of the victims were found several yards down the street. Mayercik is still investigating these cases.

"If anyone has any information about these burglaries, please contact me at the Sheriff's Office," he said. He may be reached in the Rutherford County's Detective Division at 898-7916.