TCU students' unlocked cars targeted in burglaries at campus apartments, police say

Yahoo

11-05-2025

TCU police say they are investigating multiple cases of thieves stealing expensive purses, credit cards and other items from students' unlocked cars in garages at on-campus apartments.
While there are still unidentified suspects in vehicle burglaries that happened around the university campus, TCU police have identified two suspects.
Jonathan Edwards, 36, was recently sentenced to probation for burglary of a vehicle and credit card abuse related to thefts at TCU, according to Tarrant County court records.
In December, a student parked her car at an on-campus apartment. The following day the student discovered that someone had rummaged through the car and thrown stuff around, according to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by the Star-Telegram. The student reported to campus police that her Louis Vuitton purse and wallet were missing from the car, according to the affidavit.
Numerous burglaries of vehicles were reported in that apartment complex in the previous weeks, the affidavit stated.
Surveillance video reviewed by police in the case showed Edwards walking across the parking lot and checking car doors on several vehicles, the warrant states. He then opened the student's car and took her purse, a backpack and a jacket, according to the affidavit.
Edward used a stolen credit card from the student's wallet to buy lottery tickets and cigarettes and pumped gas at a convenience store, according to videos and purchase histories provided by the store owner, the affidavit states.
According to the affidavit, Edwards has been previously arrested for burglaries in that parking lot.
In January, another TCU student reported that the glove box and center console of her car were open and someone stole two pairs of sunglasses and gift cards. Several other car burglaries were also reported at the same apartment complex in that month, according to the affidavit.
Detectives reviewed surveillance footage and used license plate numbers to determine that Edwards was the suspect in the theft, the affidavit states.
The student reported that she also was a victim of one of Edwards' previous burglaries, according to the affidavit.
According to court records, Edwards pleaded guilty to the burglaries and was placed on probation.
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Surveillance footage captured a black Ford truck linked to a second suspect, 35-year-old Arthur Sharp, who was accused in multiple vehicle burglaries and catalytic converter thefts at the GrandMarc apartment complex, according to a search warrant written by TCU police.
Sharp had a history of several arrests in burglaries and thefts of catalytic converters, according to the warrant.
In January, a TCU student parked her 2020 BMW in an apartment garage. When she returned to her vehicle she noticed that her car was extremely loud and that someone had stolen the catalytic converter overnight, according to the search warrant.
The student reported the theft to TCU police with an estimated repair cost of more than $6,000.
Based on Sharp's history, detectives found that he has targeted BMWs during other car theft incidents in Fort Worth, according to the warrant.
During the same time frame, two other catalytic converter thefts and several other burglaries were reported in the apartment's garage, according to the search warrant.
The list of items stolen from TCU students in multiple car burglaries included tools, a hunting knife, gift cards, Ray-Ban sunglasses, parts of catalytic converters, a key fob for access to the apartment complex, according to the warrant.
Sharp's vehicle was towed after a burglary of a building incident in Mansfield, according to the search warrant. Detectives found stolen items in his vehicle at the towing center, the warrant states.
According to court records, Sharp was recently sentenced to nine months in jail for another incident involving the theft of a trailer. Court records don't show any charges against him in connection to thefts on the TCU campus.
TCU police Sgt. Robert Abbott told the Star-Telegram in an email that he does not believe the suspects targeted TCU specifically but just 'took advantage of opportunities' to steal from unlocked cars. Neither of the suspects are former students.
'There are other active cases in which the suspects have not yet been identified,' Abbott said. 'None appear to be related to each other at this time.'
There have been two recent incidents involving catalytic converter thefts in and around the TCU campus investigated by the department's detectives, Abbott said.
TCU police officers and security guards have increased patrols during the specific times and areas most vulnerable, he said.
The thieves have targeted various models of cars including Toyotas, Kias and BMWs, Abbott said.
All of the motor vehicle burglaries involved unlocked cars, so notices were put out to students reminding them to lock their vehicles, TCU police said.
When one suspect was arrested, he told investigators that he targets unlocked cars, police said.
Additional surveillance cameras were added and undercover patrols have been implemented in the affected areas, Abbott said. Police also have checked to make sure that lighting, locks and gates in the garages are fully functional order.