Teen arrested in Wakefield crime spree; 3 more suspects sought

WAKEFIELD, Va. — A teenager is in custody facing charges after a months-long crime spree in Wakefield, Virginia, left dozens of vehicles and properties damaged, according to the Sussex County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators say they believe four people are connected to the crimes. Three of the suspects are believed to be juveniles. The juvenile in custody faces one count of grand larceny and one count of possession of a firearm by a juvenile. But officials say more charges are pending.

The arrest came after a particularly damaging early Monday morning crime spree in the town of about 800 residents, which included an attempted break-in of a bank ATM and damage to roughly a dozen vehicles at Williams Auto Services.

WTVR

Capt. Richard Marks of the Sussex County Sheriff's Office said investigators reviewed surveillance footage and other evidence before obtaining a search warrant for a home.

"We reviewed a lot of video and a lot of other evidence we had. Upon reviewing all that information, we did end up obtaining a search warrant for a residence in the Pocahontas neighborhood of the Town of Wakefield," Marks said.

Anthony Jaramillo, owner of Williams Auto Services, arrived at his shop around 5:30 a.m. Monday and discovered the damage.

"About four cars had their windows broken out. Had a truck missing out of the shop," Jaramillo said.

"Seeing my customers' vehicles vandalized is horrible. And this is a major setback for this shop," Jaramillo said.

One of those customers, Brooklynn Atkins, had her pickup truck stolen from the repair lot.

"The motor is ruined. They drove a truck that had no coolant in it. It was here for a radiator repair. We now need a new motor," Atkins said.

Atkins described the impact the crime spree has had on the close-knit community.

"Wakefield is normally a loving community; everybody here knows everyone," Atkins said.

Another customer, Lynn Adams, also had her car damaged during the incident.

"I'm very grateful that the owners of that shop were not there, because they could have been involved in a dangerous situation," Adams said.

A woman who asked not to be identified also discovered a broken car window outside her home a few blocks away.

"It's very nerve-wracking, and it's kinda bad that you can't be safe in your own home," she said.

The crime spree in Wakefield dates back to before June. Home security camera images have shown armed suspects in residents' yards attempting to break into vehicles. The Town of Wakefield used social media and a recorded message to warn residents of an increase in nighttime car and property break-ins reported by the Sussex County Sheriff's Office.

WTVR via Sussex County Sheriff's Office

Marks credited community members with helping crack the case.

"We had a lot of tips from citizens that helped out during this investigation. We also got some video footage that helped identify the individuals and where they were at and where they came from," Marks said.

One unidentified resident expressed the community's frustration and hope for justice.

"I pray to God that whoever is doing this, that they catch them and give them what they deserve in jail," the resident said.

The Sussex County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information, surveillance video or details about any recent crime in the Town of Wakefield to call Crime Solvers at 434-597-4400.

This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.