CHARLOTTE, N.C. – One person was arrested and a teenager is wanted in connection with a string of vehicle smash-and-grabs across the Charlotte area.
According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police, the incidents were investigated by six CMPD divisions and three outside law enforcement agencies, leading to a total of 57 charges being made against two suspects.
Detectives said the alleged robberies began on March 25, when a woman reported that her vehicle was broken into in the 6200 block of Thermal Road in southeast Charlotte. Police said the suspect smashed one of the vehicle’s windows and took property belonging to the victim.
The final incidents occurred on April 8, when five people reported their vehicles were broken into near the 100 block of Old Bell Road just off Sardis Road. All five of the break-ins were similar in nature, police said, with the suspect(s) smashing a window and taking property from inside the vehicles.
In total, 17 vehicle break-ins were reported to CMPD from March 25 until April 8. According to CMPD, all but two of the incidents resulted in the suspect smashing a window to get into the cars.
On April 5, a K9 officer attempted to stop a suspect vehicle that matched the description from the cases, but the suspect failed to stop. The officer did not pursue the vehicle but identified the driver as matching the description of the suspect involved in the break-ins.
On April 9, officers near the area of Old Bell Road spotted a vehicle that matched the description of a suspect vehicle, but the driver failed to stop. Officers did not pursue the suspect vehicle but were able to positively identify 18-year-old Dalton Hopkins as a passenger in the vehicle.
Areas linked to string of vehicle break-ins:
6200 Thermal Road
100 Old Bell Road
7300 Sardis Road
300 Boyce Road
7400 Thermal Road
8700 Lawyers Road
CMPD began a surveillance operation at a location that both suspects were known to frequent and were able to arrest Kenneth Meaders, 35, who was served a total of 43 warrants. In addition to the 11 cases, Meaders was also charged with the possession of stolen property, which was related to 11 cases across the area, police said.
Hopkins has outstanding arrest warrants for seven counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle, five counts of misdemeanor larceny and one count of felony larceny. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
