CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WTVC) — A chain link fence with barbed wire on top, surveillance cameras and an alarm system were apparently not enough to stop a man from burglarizing more than 100 vehicles in the Chattanooga Police Confiscation Lot, police in Tennessee said.
An arrest report said James Allen Turpin is accused of stealing a car, a golf cart and 56 catalytic converters over a period of several days.
Authorities arrested Turpin on Sunday.
The affidavit noted Turpin cut a large hole in the chain link fence at the Confiscation Lot of "Con Lot" at 1101 Wisdom Street. Vehicles and other things stored there are impounded as evidence in an ongoing investigation.
It recounts several incidents where officers say Turpin was able to commit the crimes without getting caught.
On April 14th, the report says two men, one of them Turpin, stole a Yamaha Adventure golf cart. Surveillance video shows the men driving the golf cart loaded up with catalytic converters down some nearby railroad tracks.
On April 19th, police say Turpin stole a 2014 Nissan pickup truck involved in a deadly pedestrian crash was stolen.
In that incident, the police report says after Turpin stole the pickup, he drove it around the lot and looked in "approximately 104 vehicles" for things to steal.
Once done, the report says Turpin used bolt cutters on the front gate to drive the pickup away.
On May 1st, the report says Turpin sold merchandise at a local scrap metal shop. Investigators then learned Turpin was being sought by police in nearby Rossville, Georgia for similar crimes. Detectives there provided Chattanooga Police with surveillance video of Turpin driving the stolen Nissan pickup, according to the affidavit.
After obtaining a warrant for Turpin's arrest, officers went to his home last Saturday.
As they were almost there, they saw a black Ford Escape turn around in front of them. At the wheel was a man officers say fit Turpin's description.
Officers spoke with another resident of the home, who told him Turpin was just down the street, and that he should still be there.
The report says at that moment the officer realized that they had in fact seen Turpin earlier.
The resident gave officers consent to search the property, and it was there the report says officers discovered the stolen Nissan, hidden under blankets and tarps.
Officers also learned Turpin was driving on a revoked license, and that he had recently been caught going through the Chattanooga Police Property Division dumpster back in March.
Turpin's now charged with 32 counts of auto burglary, 3 counts of tampering with evidence, criminal trespassing, theft of property and evading arrest.
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