
Over a dozen cars broken into in Cooper-Young
by: Melissa Moon
Note: the name of the organization paying for security in the neighborhood has been corrected.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Crime concerns in the Cooper-Young community have arisen after a rash of break-ins just days apart.
This comes after a recent business robbery and police chase in the Midtown neighborhood.
Now, some neighbors and looking for ways to protect their property and others said they’re ready to move.
“They do it right in front,” resident Erica Whitehead said. “The skycams can’t catch them because they wear ski masks and shield their faces.”
Whitehead spoke with WREG about the frequent car break-ins on her Cooper-Young Street.
Overnight, three family cars were damaged.
One car was in her driveway, one on the street and one in a well-lit church lot across the street.
“My son has only been driving a year and this is the third time he’s had a window busted out,” Whitehead said. “My husband’s truck has been hit about six times, my daughter’s car has been hit before and this is the second time I’ve had a window busted out.”
A neighbor of Whitehead’s was also hit on Blythe, as well as six cars a couple of blocks away on Meda and Cox.
At least three cars were burglarized Friday afternoon on New York.
One man who lives on Meda didn’t want to be identified but told WREG he had to replace windows on three vehicles.
“I think we need a garage,” he said. “That’s Memphis. I think it’s part of the city tax.”
The Memphis Police Department’s Cyberwatch website shows over the last two months, 172 crimes have been reported within a half mile of his home.
That includes a robbery at the Daily Market on Cooper and a police chase and crash involving juvenile carjacking suspects.
Neighbors said police and private security guards are patrolling the area but it’s not enough.
“They need to be tougher on crime,” Whitehead said. “That’s a huge problem, that it doesn’t matter. You go to jail for a hot minute and you get out. Something has got to change. I want to move.”
Neighbors said there is no longer an active neighborhood watch program in their Midtown neighborhood but the Cooper-Young Business Association has hired security guards.
They also said that they are now leaving their cars unlocked to avoid having to replace their windows.
Police said the suspects involved in the car break-ins Monday morning were in a white, older model Hyundai Elantra.
If you have any information that could help police, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.