COVINGTON, Ga. - A tag check on a suspicious vehicle resulted in the arrests of four Atlanta teens, including three juveniles, and may have solved as many as 17 vehicle break-ins in Covington.

According to Covington Police Department (CPD) Captain Craig Treadwell, CPD Officer Matt Moseley observed a Jeep behaving suspiciously on Highway 142 around 4 a.m. April 1 and checked the tag. The Jeep reportedly came back stolen out of Rockdale County and Moseley activated his emergency equipment and attempted to make a traffic stop. According to Treadwell, the vehicle refused to stop, made a U-turn and entered I-20 traveling westbound.

Treadwell said because vehicle’s occupants appeared to be teenagers, CPD did not continue the pursuit. The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) was given a look out on the vehicle and its direction of travel. RCSO reportedly saw the vehicle exit I-20 and wreck in a parking lot where they took the four teens into custody.

CPD Detective Chip Shirah said items found in the Jeep belonged to some of the victims of multiple vehicle break-ins which occurred Friday night and early Saturday morning in Covington. Shirah said at least 16 vehicles were broken into on Henderson Drive and one on Hillcrest Drive.

According to Shirah, the ages of those arrested are 13, 14, 16 and 17. The youngest three are charged with 16 counts of entering auto. The 17-year-old is charged with 16 counts of entering auto, fleeing and attempting to elude, theft by receiving and child endangerment.