Teen in custody, others sought after 40 car break-ins

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By Richard Elliot

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — One teenager is in custody as police search for others involved in as many as 40 car break-ins in one apartment complex, followed by a police chase involving five stolen cars.
 
"This is something like out of 'Fast and Furious,'" said Douglasville police Chief Chris Womack.  "Something off a movie set."
 
Douglasville police got a call concerning car break-ins at the Brodick Hill Apartments on Lee Road around 3 a.m. Thursday.  Womack said a group of teens from Atlanta got into the complex and started breaking into 40 cars.
 
Resident Leigh Lawrence's husband woke up when he heard a commotion outside their apartment.
 
"He saw a group of men, and it was dark," said Lawrence. "Couldn't really see who they were.  They were just running back and forth, back and forth, and all of a sudden, we started hearing car alarms going off."
 
Lawrence said the thieves smashed out her passenger side window and rifled through her minivan, but didn't take anything.
 
When police arrived, Womack said the teens jumped into five stolen vehicles and sped away.  According to Womack, three of the cars came from Douglasville.  The other two came from Atlanta.
 
Police chased the suspects west on I-20 before they turned off on Fairburn Road and got back on I-20 heading east.  Womack said his officers performed PIT maneuvers on two of the cars, spinning them out near the truck weigh station near Thornton Road.  They nabbed a 15-year-old in one of the cars.  Womack said they've recovered all the stolen cars.
 
"(He) made a statement, 'I didn't think you could chase us for stealing or just breaking into cars,'" said Womack.  "He's gotten some bad information."
 
Womack couldn't release the teen's identification since he is a juvenile, but did say he has a criminal history in Atlanta of breaking into cars.  Womack also said they know who the other teens involved are.  They just need to find them.
 
"I would say it was a major auto ring for one night's work," said Womack.  "I would behoove them to some find us before we find them.  We know who they are.  We know where they live, and we're coming.  I think it would be smoother for everybody if they just came out here and talked to us."