Several Juveniles Arrested After String of Vehicle Thefts in Jonesboro

JONESBORO, Ark. – A vehicle theft took place while a man was at work, trying to earn a living, Friday in Jonesboro.

It happened between 8:30 PM and 8:40 PM on Dec. 15 to an employee of Dominos, 1826 E. Johnson Avenue in Jonesboro. The police report says the man left his vehicle, a blue 2005 Toyota Avalon, unlocked and running in the parking lot. During this short absence, an unknown suspect seized the opportunity to steal the vehicle. Unfortunately, the absence of operational surveillance cameras hindered the identification of any suspects.

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However, fortune favored the victim when law enforcement officers stumbled upon the stolen vehicle while en route to the pizza place. The vehicle was located at 308 State Street, Apartment 8, and appeared to be in good condition. Authorities returned the recovered vehicle to its rightful owner.

As of now, no suspects have been apprehended, and law enforcement officials are currently without leads in the case.

It wasn’t the only vehicle stolen over the weekend in Jonesboro, either. Between 12:30 AM and 8:10 AM on December 16 at 1600-Links Circle, the Links Apartments, a suspect stole a vehicle in the parking lot. A gray 2016 Chrysler 300 was taken and later recovered on Colony on the same day. The vehicle had damage to the passenger front light, fender, and hood, presumably from striking a deer.

There’s speculation that the same individuals might have stolen a black 2019 Dodge Challenger Hellcat. A report between 2:52 AM and 3:11 AM at the 3100-block of Colony Drive suggested suspects exchanged one stolen car for another. The vehicle, reportedly valued at $90,000, has not yet been recovered as per the latest report update.

The following day, at around 12:30 AM on December 17, another vehicle theft occurred in Jonesboro. A silver 2019 Jeep Cherokee, containing a purse, gun, wallet, and a bank card, was stolen from the 900-block of Scott Street. At approximately 4:40 AM on December 17, the stolen Jeep was spotted at Johnson and Caraway. Officer Trevor Sutton located the vehicle south on Allis at 4:55 AM. The vehicle was stopped at Johnson and Fisher in a felony traffic stop, and it was recovered in good condition. A stolen gun was also retrieved. Four suspects were arrested in connection to this case: a white 12-year-old male, a black 12-year-old male, a black 13-year-old male, and a black 15-year-old male.

Furthermore, between 11:35 PM on December 16 and midnight, another vehicle was stolen from the 3300-block of Caraway Commons. This time, a gray 2009 Nissan Maxima was taken and later recovered at the 3500-block of Derby. The police apprehended three suspects after a chase: two 15-year-old black males and one 14-year-old black male.

But that didn’t stop the thefts. Between 6 AM and 7:13 AM on Dec. 17 at the 1400-block of Dupwe Drive, a suspect, described as a black male possibly under the age of 18, stole a black 2016 Kia Optima. The vehicle was recovered by Marion PD.

If you can have any information about any of these cases which could help police, you may submit a tip online here.

Vehicle thefts have risen steadily in Jonesboro over the past 10 years, crime statistics show. In 2013, there were 100 vehicles stolen in the city across the whole year. In 2022, there were 233.

NEA Report will have a special report later today on those numbers and more.