Hoover Police: Suspect in 3 car burglaries arrested committing same crime

HOOVER, Ala. (WBRC) - The Hoover Police Department said they caught a car burglary suspect Wednesday in the parking lot of a business committing the same crime.

In September, the Hoover Police Department’s Crimes Against Property unit started an investigation into three car burglaries that happened at a shopping center in the 1600 block of Montgomery Highway.

Detectives worked the case and identified the suspect as 26-year-old Erica Tashae Owens of Birmingham.

Warrants for Owens’ arrest were obtained charging her with unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle, among several other charges.

With help from partners in the area, Hoover said they determined Owens was wanted by several other agencies in Jefferson, Shelby, and St. Clair counties for similar crimes.

On Wednesday, Oct. 21, patrol officers in Hoover learned Owens may be in the Hoover area. While on patrol, they located Owens in the parking lot of a shopping center in the 1600 block of Montgomery Highway - the same location where the previous car burglaries happened.

Officers said they found Owens outisde her vehicle in the parking lot where they placed her under arrest for the outstanding warrants.

Officers also said they found property from two recently burglarized vehicles with Owens, and she was charged in those two additional cases.

Owens was transfered to the Jefferson County Jail where she was being held on charges from Hoover and several other agencies.

Police in Hoover said remain vigilant. They said vehicle burglaries are down 38% in Hoover this year.

They offered that reminder because they said all five vehicles that were broken into by Owens were unlocked.

Police said simply locking your vehicle and removing valuables and weapons are a major deterrent to criminals who commit property crimes.

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