Staff report

Beaumont police arrested five suspects this week in what they believe is a break in a string of auto burglaries.

Police said in an issued statement Wednesday that they were called to Academy Sporting Goods, 7130 Eastex Freeway, on a report of a theft in progress. The caller described five suspects and the vehicle in which they were traveling, which matched the description of a vehicle that had been connected to numerous auto burglaries in the city.

Police said they stopped the vehicle and detained five teens. They included Devonta Tyrone Stoker, 17, and Anthony Deshone Smith, 17, both of Beaumont, who were arrested for unlawfully carrying a weapon.

Also detained at the scene were three juveniles; two were 16, the third was 13.

Detectives from BPD’s Criminal Investigations Division, Special Assignment Unit and the Southeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force assisted at the scene. A bag with five handguns, some stolen, was recovered.

“Detectives believe that this theft investigation was a major break in the continuous auto burglary and auto theft cases that have plagued our city, as well as surrounding areas,” police said. “We believe that these suspects are responsible and/or connected to a majority of those crimes.”

Police described the investigation as “complex and ongoing,” and said additional charges were expected for all five suspects.

“We want to remind our citizens to remain vigilant, lock your vehicles, take ALL valuable items especially firearms out of your vehicles, and please file a police report if you are the victim of an auto burglary,” police said. “This theft case unfolded into a much larger investigation, due to citizens who captured video of these auto burglary suspects on their home surveillance systems, and turned that information over to police.”