Five Teen Vehicle Burglary Suspects Arrested

A group of five male teen motor vehicle burglary suspects are in custody after their arrest early Saturday morning.

Hermitage Precinct officers responded at 1:30 a.m. to reports of vehicle break-ins in the 2800 block of Elm Hill Pike. There had been a previous call at the Nashville Palace on McGavock Pike regarding a firearm stolen from a vehicle. Officers were in the area of Donelson Pike and Royal Parkway when they spotted a tan Hyundai Elantra, that matched the suspect vehicle description, leaving from the area of hotels on Royal Parkway. They followed the car as it turned onto I-40 West from Donelson Pike. Officers activated their blue lights and sirens on marked MNPD patrol vehicles, but the driver refused to stop and fled at a high rate of speed. A police helicopter then followed the car until it pulled over on Charles E. Davis Boulevard where the five occupants, two 16-year-olds, two-17-year-olds, and Lecestur Seats Jr., 18, bailed from the vehicle and ran into a vacant apartment in the Tony Sudekum homes.

Officers made entry into the apartment after the teens refused to come out. They were taken into custody. They did not have permission to be in the apartment. In plain view in the apartment, which had been under investigation in relation to vehicle thefts, were five firearms, glass breaking tools, flashlights, gloves, and extra pistol magazines. Recovered from the Elantra were multiple credit cards/identifying documents belonging to different individuals that were not the registered owner. The steering column to the car had been stripped and there was evidence of tampering with the ignition. Immediate efforts to contact the registered owner were unsuccessful.

During interviews, one of the 17-year-olds admitted he was driving. He is charged with felony evading arrest, juvenile handgun possession, aggravated trespassing, and possession of burglary tools. The other three juveniles are charged with juvenile handgun possession, possession of burglary tools, and trespassing.

Seats is charged with four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, aggravated trespassing, and possession of burglary tools.

The investigation continues into their potential involvement in motor vehicle burglaries and theft with additional charges possible.