MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis police said car thefts have almost doubled in 2022. According to police, the suspects are only getting younger.
“For auto thefts, we’re up significantly,” said Deputy Chief Joe Oakley. “And the majority of our suspects are below the age of 18, almost 30 percent.”
Saturday, Memphis police arrested a 15, 16 and 18-year-old involved in an armed carjacking at 405 Cleveland St.
“16-year-olds, it’s truly astonishing but that’s our highest number of arrested car theft suspects,” said Deputy Chief Oakley.
As MPD’s Auto Theft Task Force works to stop the spike in stolen cars (especially high among juveniles) a Memphis pastor continues to push his flock to get to work to help stop kids from becoming felons.
“If it is easier for you to get into trouble than it is for you to advance, I think we’ll find far too many of our young people getting involved in trouble and being influenced by the wrong elements,” said Dr. Earle J. Fisher.
Dr. Fisher is both pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church and an activist for social justice. His congregation continues to be involved by “adopting” the four schools in the area (Robert R. Church Elementary, A. Maceo Walker Middle, Hillcrest High and Freedom Prep Academy).
“There’s been times we’ve donated clothes, there’s been times we've helped with programming, there’s been times we've publicly spoken out about issues that directly impacted some of the students or maybe even some of the faculty and staff.”
He said that when some schools lack the resources of others, it can limit the opportunities of the entire student body.
“I’ve been focused on, the last few years, in this particular area and other black areas in Memphis and Shelby County, and it is easier for you to get access to a gun or access to some drugs, or access to what we might call the criminal element, than it is for you to get access to black consciousness for black students,” Dr. Fisher said. “Or access to an equitable education.”
Dr. Fisher saidhe’s also working with A. Maceo Walker Middle in developing new learning materials that will be more relevant to students’ everyday lives when they’re in the classroom.