NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — From East Nashville, Germantown, to Edgehill, dozens of cars were broken into across multiple Nashville neighborhoods this weekend. In East Nashville, neighbors have counted 30-40 cars with shattered windows on Monday morning.
“It’s a safe neighborhood so for a person to attack that viciously in a neighborhood we feel violated,” Richard Espenant told News 2 after his car and others were broken into on Hancock Street.
Espenant woke up to his car window smashed. Thieves attempted to break into his vehicle overnight.
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“So far we are 33 from just last night,” Espenant said.
However, since this interview, Espenant said that number has grown. His neighbor sent surveillance video where you can see a black truck pull onto their street and then one person breaking into a car.
“The amount is absolutely absurd. And what’s even more annoying is that we have been battling these break-ins, and it looks like nothing is being done,” Espenant said.
Earlier this month, Metro police identified six teen suspects they believed were involved in the dozens of car break-ins across Nashville.
According to a CompStat report, the average theft from vehicles nearly doubled during the beginning of January. With over 300 cases during the week of January 4.
“I hear time and time again from musicians who go play a gig downtown and they come back after playing a gig and their windows are smashed and there goes their money from their gig to go play for that broken window,” said Jacob Kupin, District 19 Councilperson.
Councilman Kupin said several of his constituents reached out this week after car break-ins in Germantown and downtown.
“Throughout the district, we’ve seen this in parking garages, in residencies, gated communities some of these are crime rings and some of them are one-offs, but to me, it really highlights the need for additional police staffing,” Kupin said.
More police presence is something Espenant is pushing for as well as he said car break-ins in East Nashville are getting out of control. “Something has to be done, the frustration is real.”
