Chattanooga police still are looking for eight suspects in an auto theft sting that netted more than a dozen arrests Thursday, including a local man connected with a “chop shop” operation in Florida.
Twenty-eight warrants were served Thursday and 16 people were arrested, said Sgt. Jonathan Bryant, with the Chattanooga Police Department’s fugitive unit.
The department’s auto theft unit had several cases pending and decided several weeks ago to target suspects in an effort to clear the cases, he said.
“Not all were arrested for auto theft,” he said, “but they were people who had originally been targeted for auto theft.”
The cases were unrelated and not part of a larger auto theft ring, with the exception of Adam Weaver, 31, who lives in Largo, Fla. He was arrested for theft over $1,000, according to Sgt. Jerri Weary, a Chattanooga Police Department spokeswoman.
Mr. Weaver’s arrest led to the discovery of a chop shop operation in Florida, where police in Largo recovered 50 stolen cars, trucks and motorcycles, she said.
Locally, there did not seem to be a trend of the types of cars the suspects, who range in age from 21 to 66, are accused of stealing, Sgt. Bryant said.
Those arrested
* Walter Moss II, 21, for theft over $500 and assault
* Shanice Kelley, 22, theft over $10,000
* Robert Lee Daniels, 43, theft over $500
* Demetrius Solomon, 21, theft over $1,000
* Natasha Dunn, 23, theft over $1,000
* Charles Bonner, 26, theft over $1,000
* Charles Cooper Jr., 66, theft over $1,000
* Jeremy Mashburn, 31, auto theft and non-payment of child support
* Steven Adams, 50, two counts of theft over $1,000 and probation violation
* Farrell Sims, 22, three counts of theft over $1,000
* Marlon Crawl, 21, probation violation and possession of marijuana
* Clarence “Eddie” McCorkle, 36, theft over $1,000
* William McGlocton, 22, probation violation, contraband in a penal institution, robbery, possession of marijuana and driving on a revoked license
* Cedrick Woodgett, 27, vandalism
* Charles Watkins, Jr., 38, theft over $500 and two counts of non-payment of child support
Source: Chattanooga police
Still being sought
* Johnny Carter, 23, theft over $1,000 and aggravated assault
* Reid “Rico” Twitty, 28, theft over $1,000 and drug violations
* Kimberly Green, 26, theft over $1,000 and aggravated burglary
* Vernessa Ellis, 51, theft over $1,000
* Misty Norman, 31, theft over $10,000
* Chance Gaines, 36, theft over $500
* Jennifer Kelley, 36, theft over $1,000 and theft over $500
* Lora Redman, 41, two counts of theft over $1,000
Source: Chattanooga police