A Columbia woman and four teens arrested after a short pursuit early Sunday morning were in possession of stolen items related to a series of thefts, according to deputies.
Tia Quineese Murrell (above left), 21, of Columbia is charged with three counts of possession of stolen items and failure to stop for blue lights.
Amilyah Damtria Freeman (above center), 17, of West Columbia is charged with three counts of possession of stolen items and three counts of breaking into a motor vehicle.
Tadestiny Aretrell Simpson-Veal (above right), 17, of Columbia is charged with three counts of possession of stolen items and three counts of breaking into a motor vehicle.
Two female suspects under the age of 17 are also charged with three counts of possession of stolen items. They’ve been released to family members and will appear in Lexington County Family Court at a later date.
“We received a call early Sunday morning about suspicious subjects walking around the Timberland Place subdivision,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “Deputies responded and noticed a car leaving the area at a high rate of speed. They used tire deflation devices on the fleeing car and stopped it on Highway 1.”
Deputies found items stolen from unlocked cars inside the stopped car during their investigation, according to Koon. Murrell, Freeman and Simpson-Veal are being held in the Lexington County Detention Center while they await a bond hearing.
“This case serves as a good reminder to lock your car every time you get out of it,” Koon said. “It’s also important to take all electronics, purses, wallets and other valuables inside with you. Don’t leave anything in plain view when you park your car.”
Koon said multiple thefts from motor vehicle have been reported since June 1 in several Lexington County subdivisions including Brookdale, Challedon, Clearwater, Coldstream, Palmetto Shores, Whiteford and Woodmill.