Christiansburg car break-ins

By Rosa Duarte

Published: March 24, 2008

Police say a group of teenagers is responsible for over two dozen car break-ins this past weekend. It happened between late Saturday night and early Sunday morning in Christiansburg.
Police say 29 vehicles in front of homes on 11 streets, East Main St., Forest St., Craig St., Republic Rd., High St., Sunnyside Dr., Park St., Depot St., Phlegar St,. Harless St., and North Dr. were broken into and stolen from.
Several neighbors at Charleston Place and Twin Oaks town homes either heard about the break-ins or were victims themselves. Neighbor Ed Jonson says he even saw the thieves Saturday night. “ I was in bed and the dog woke me up around one o’clock and I looked out the window and saw three teens walking down the street. I saw them go over to a car and then they lit something, I heard a pop and then they ran away.”
Then, Jonson noticed close to 50 CD’s missing from his truck.
Police say the majority of the victims had their vehicle unlocked and the items stolen range from change to MP3 players.
Monday, police arrested 18 year old Thomas Clyde Turpin of Pulaski. Turpin faces three felony charges of grand larceny and possibly more, investigators are also planning to arrest two other teenagers in connection to the case.
Police say there’s more than $8,000 worth in property loss and damage, most of the stolen property has been recovered.