The Greenville Police Department has released information regarding a series of vehicle break-ins around “local hotels and a few residences.”

A press release from GPD Chief Justin Lovvorn Thursday said that the department received “at least eight” reports of vehicle break-ins from Christmas Day to Dec. 29.

The GPD used evidence gathered at several of the scenes to develop a suspect in the case and, on Dec. 29, “located this suspect at his apartment.”

Officers entered the apartment and found items reported stolen from the car break-ins along with a second suspect. Both suspects were arrested and the stolen property, “including a variety of firearms,” was recovered.

Following questioning by investigators, the two suspects- Al Terrill Farris Jr., an 18-year-old from Montgomery, and Tamichael Campbell Jr., an 18-year-old from Greenville, were both charged with multiple counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle and theft of property, 2nd degree.

Lovvorn expressed appreciation for patrol officers and investigators in the case for “working together to quickly identify and apprehend the two suspects.”

Both suspects are in custody at the Butler County Jail.

The Greenville Police Department also used the press release as an opportunity to “educate the public [concerning] a recent trend in criminal activity” involving groups of criminals organizing and picking “random locations to check car doors” and, upon finding an unlocked door, searching the vehicle for valuables.

Lovvorn says in the statement that he “cannot emphasize enough how important it is to lock your car doors” regardless of where it is parked, as well as either hiding valuables or removing them from the vehicle altogether.

“This [criminal activity] is becoming more common because people are often leaving items of value in their vehicle overnight with the doors unlocked,” said Lovvorn, “but that can easily be reduced if you remember the following: If you see something, say something and please keep your car doors locked.”