Teen charged with numerous vehicle burglaries in Belle Mina

Published 2:38 pm Monday, March 27, 2017

An Athens teen has been arrested in connection to a string of vehicle burglaries that occurred in the Belle Mina community earlier this month, an official said.

Limestone County Sheriff’s Office Spokesman Stephen Young said Tyrese Jamal Sales, 18, of 10204 Settle Road, has been charged with 10 counts of breaking and entering a vehicle and one count of third-degree burglary. He is in the Limestone County Jail on $27,500 bond.

Young said 10 burglary reports were taken March 3 from separate victims in Belle Mina. Vehicles were the main target, though a shed was also burglarized.

Items stolen from vehicles included several wallets, cash, three credit card, two pistols, a shotgun, backpack and various other personal items. Some of the vehicles did not have anything taken from them, but had been searched and left in disarray. A book bag was taken from the shed.

“Every vehicle had been left unlocked,” said Lance Royals, chief investigator who also worked the cases.

Royals was able to obtain information on March 24 that Sales was a suspect in the burglaries. After further investigation, arrest warrants were obtained and Sales was arrested.

“I’m thrilled we were able to determine who was responsible for these burglaries and make an arrest,” Sheriff Mike Blakely said. “ … This is a perfect example of the importance of securing your vehicle at all times. It’s even more critical when you have a firearm in the vehicle that could be used in violent crimes against others in the future.”