Juveniles pegged as suspects in string of car window smashings, police say

WLOS, WAYNE ROBBINS, CNN

By Ed DiOrio

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    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — The Asheville Police Department said Friday, Jan. 12, it has identified suspects connected to over 100 cases of car windows being smashed going back to mid-December.

“Our detective division, in conjunction with our patrol officers, have worked together and identified two suspects,” APD Captain Sean Aardema said. “Both of them are juveniles.”

The two individuals who damaged vehicles downtown, West Asheville, and other parts of Buncombe County have been identified by police. As a result, APD has requested over 100 petitions for juvenile court cases to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

And there may be more developments beyond the two suspects.

“We have developed information on a third person of interest,” Aardema said. “That person, I believe, is an adult. In this case, where that person may be connected, too, we anticipate being able to release a little more information on that.”

Aardema said the public’s input, cell phone and surveillance video, and other elements played a major role.

“We have an accurate detail of what sort of damage they suffered, what items were taken, things like that,” he said. “That was helpful on the front end.”

While charges could be coming sooner rather than later, Aardema warns that the community shouldn’t let its guard down.

“This could start up again with another group of suspects or something like that in the future,” he said.

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