Tue. Nov 5th, 2024

25K reward after car breakins within days of each other

By Imani Williams

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – A $25,000 reward is up for grabs after a video shows a bold attempt to steal a car right off a car dealership lot.

It’s something that Jay Keras, owner of Jim Keras Automotives, says is not new. but he said those who are committing the crime need to be held accountable.

Within two days, cars were broken into at the Subaru Jim Keras lot and the Jim Keras Chevrolet lot.

Regarding the most recent incident, a video shows a man pulling out a large gun while another man is hanging out a window.

It was a bold attempt in broad daylight to try to steal a Dodge Challenger right off the lot of Jim Keras Subaru.

According to Memphis Police, this happened Thursday at Jim Keras Subaru when a black Nissan Altima pulled into the lot next to a Dodge Challenger. Police reported that the passenger window was broken out of the Challenger and someone jumped in, trying to start the car. A man near the incident told police a man in the Altima pulled out an AR-style gun when he tried to confront them.

The car was not stolen, because no one could start the car, so the people in the Altima drove off, without the Challenger that was broken into.

Keras says they have plenty of security but incidents will continue to happen if there are no consequences to crime.

“So, our city leadership is failing the business community by not taking action and showing these people there are consequences,” he said.

Keras says he wants Memphis Mayor Paul Young and Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy to share what they plan to do to stop people breaking into cars, even on car lots.

According to MPD, Motor Vehicle Thefts are down this year by 32%, but this year’s totals so far are still higher than in 2022.

A day before this incident happened, MPD reported another vehicle break-in down the street at the Jim Keras Chevrolet lot. This incident dealt with a customer’s car being broken into.

Keras says there is one similarity he continues to see when incidents happen on his lots.

“Typically, any type of crime we’ve got is a drive-out tag car that drives up with a paper tag and guys get out and they break into a car and they leave,” he said.

He said fake paper tags are an issue that could prevent bigger crimes.

“We are, we are seeing the paper tags on the back of the car and they are different tags than we issue as a temporary tag for a sale of a vehicle,” said Keras. “They are different, they are not legal, they are not legit and it’s obvious.”

Keras said he is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for the break-ins.

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