Three 14-year-olds from Atlantic City have been charged in a series of car burglaries in a casino parking garage, police said.
Detectives Christopher Dodson, Alberto Valles, Eric Evans and Troy Grams were investigating three burglaries of Kias in the parking garage when they encountered a group walking in the area of Connecticut and Wabash avenues, Lt. Kevin Fair said.
Two of the teens were identified as being involved in the burglaries and arrested, according to the report.
One of the teens had a USB cable commonly used to steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles, Fair said. The other had a screwdriver, which is used to turn the ignition and break the steering column.
A third male was arrested later after an investigation found that he was in possession of credit cards that were stolen, Fair said. A victim had left the cards in his vehicle.
The first two teens are charged with three counts each of burglary and criminal mischief, along with a count of possession of burglar tools.
The third teen is charged with receiving stolen property.
The Atlantic City Police Department is distributing free steering wheel locks to Hyundai and Kia owners in an effort to deter the theft of these vehicle brands, which are the most popular for thieves, particularly younger individuals, Fair said.
Residents can get a free steering wheel lock by bringing a copy of their registration and driver's license to the Public Safety Building at 2715 Atlantic Ave.
The locks can be picked up between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
