Rash of car burglaries plague Hope

A string of car burglaries in the Hope community are being investigated where masked juveniles wearing hoodies are suspected.

Four instances in which vehicles were successfully entered between Sunday night and early Monday have been confirmed, according to Neshoba County Sheriff Eric Clark.

All of the incidents occurred on Highway 488 or Road 147 near the Hope Country Store and Hope Baptist Church, he said.

A Browning 300  rifle with a scope was taken at one residence at about 2:30 a.m., Clark said. A man alerted authorities after he was awakened and found his truck had been burglarized. 

Clark said the man reported seeing a shadowy figure escape his property into the nearby woods. 

A woman’s purse and her turquoise Ruger 9-millimeter pistol were taken in another incident, Clark said,

Another victim reported a wallet taken from a vehicle and another said they had two cars rifled through but nothing of value was taken.

Clark said they have talked to several residents in the area and have video footage of the suspects.

“Multiple residents woke up this morning to missing items from their personal vehicles,” Clark said on Monday. “Camera footage shows the burglars pulling on car doors and going into the ones unlocked.”

He said the footage shows four individuals wearing hoodies and masks. He said that based on their build, all four are believed to be juveniles.

According to Clark, his office is working closely with the Choctaw Police Department on a similar string of incidents reported on Wolf Trail in the Pearl River community that same night.

Anyone with information on this or any other crime is encouraged to call the NCSO at (601) 656-1414 or CrimeStoppers at 1-855-485-8477.