Teens charged with 23 felonies in Dunwoody car burglary spree

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Five teenagers arrested by Dunwoody police in connection with a spree of local vehicle burglaries have each been charged with more than two dozen felony counts.

Authorities announced Jan. 31 that four 17-year-old suspects from Conyers, Norcross, Stockbridge, and an unidentified 15-year-old, have been charged with multiple felony counts for allegedly burglarizing 23 vehicles at Peachford Hospital and a Dunwoody apartment complex.

Police were called to 2300 Peachford Road at about 12:30 a.m. Jan.

26 after receiving reports a vehicle burglary was in process at the Sterling Apartments. Police located several suspects “actively” breaking into cars, Sgt. Michael Cheek of the Dunwoody Police Department said.

All five suspects were taken into custody after a brief police chase, Cheek said.

In total, police located 23 burglarized vehicles at the Sterling Apartments and Peachford Hospital and identified three other vehicles the suspects attempted to burglarize. Cheek said officers recovered a stolen vehicle, two stolen handguns and other stolen items during the incident.

Each of the 17-year-old suspects have been charged with 23 counts of theft entering auto, theft by receiving, possession of tools for the commission of a crime, possession of a firearm during a felony, criminal trespass, obstruction of police and possession of marijuana.

They are being held at the DeKalb County Jail without bond, jail records show.

The 15-year-old suspect arrested in the incident has also been charged with 23 counts of theft entering auto, theft by receiving and obstruction. Cheek said the juvenile suspect was transported to a regional youth detention center.

People crowd the halls of DeKalb County Animal Services to adopt and foster dogs on Jan. 27 after the shelter announced it would have to euthanize some dogs if it could not adopt or foster 150 of them by Jan. 31.