Cell Phone Leads to Juvenile's Arrest In Alpharetta Car Break-Ins

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (MyFOX Atlanta) – A rash of car break-ins ended after Alpharetta police tracked down the alleged burglar with his own cell phone. Police said it wasn't hard to find the juvenile who later confessed to at least 18 car break-ins because investigators found his cell phone at the scene of the crime.Break-in victim Jackie Banning just got his GPS unit and his satellite radio reinstalled in his car. Police said Banning's car was one of at least 18 vehicles in two subdivisions burglarized Saturday night.

Video: Cell Phone Leads to Juvenile's Arrest in Alpharetta Car Break-ins FOX 5's George Franco Reports

"The vast majority of these 18 vehicles that were broken into were unlocked," said George Gordan of the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety.Alpharetta police said GPS units, cell phones, radios, game consoles and other items were stolen from the unlocked vehicles.Banning said he suspected the burglars were trying to steal his car because he'd left keys to another vehicle in it. Banning said police found some of the loot in his car."They left in such a hurry they left their stuff in this car," said BanningAlpharetta police said one of the things left behind in Banning's car was a cell phone that belonged to one of the burglars."Our officer contacted a contact from the cell phone and the person on the other end told the officer who the cell phone belonged to," said Gordan.

Police arrested a juvenile in the case and expect to make other arrests based on his confession."So what's the lesson here? Lock your car, you're [going to] have to do it," said Banning.Alpharetta police agreed. Police say during tough economic times car break-ins, especially involving unlocked vehicles, skyrocket.