MEMPHIS, Tenn - 40 cars are stolen in Memphis everyday.
Thieves are targeting cars at an outrageous rate – more than double this time last year.
It's costing people money, time, and a lot of stress.
"We work hard for our things, we don't make a lot of money, and that really sets us back a lot," Anna Huan, who lives in Atoka, said.
Huan said she felt shocked and terrified when she discovered someone broke into her Dodge Challenger in a busy Memphis parking lot in the middle of the day.
A week later, disaster struck again.
"A week later my husband's truck gets broken into and they tear his truck up and steal our diaper bag," Huan said. "So you just don't feel safe."
Memphis police says these types of crimes are drastically on the rise.
So far in 2023, the department has gotten nearly 1,400 reports of car break-ins, up more than 400 from this time last year.
Nearly 2,000 car thefts have been reported, up from just over 800 this time in 2022.
"This is something we have got to get control of," Memphis city councilman Frank Colvett, Jr. said.
Police chief CJ Davis updated councilmembers on the problem during Tuesday's meeting.
She said the top three stolen cars in Memphis are Hyundai's, Kia's, and Infiniti's.
Out of the 175 suspects that have been arrested, a majority of them are teenagers.
"We know that a lot of our young people are breaking into cars and stealing cars almost as a dare," Davis said.
To address the problem, Davis said the department plans to hold meetings with the juvenile court to determine what can be done to deter repeat offenders.
Councilmembers say the department needs to address the root of the problem.
"Somebody is getting these cars and they are getting some kind of financial gain and we need to figure out what it is because we can't solve it until we know," city councilwoman Patrice Robinson said.
Chief Davis said the department is giving away free anti-theft wheel locks now for Kia, Hyundai, and Infiniti drivers at all precincts.
https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/s...cle_abc84fb8-ad7d-11ed-a0cc-07953a1a7785.html
