News Channel 5
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Metro police officers arrested two teenagers after they broke into several homes in the Antioch area.
Officials said the teens were going door to door asking people to join a church. If homeowners were not home, the teens allegedly broke into the homes.
Officers arrested the two teenagers Tuesday after pulling over their car on Interstate 24. The boys were charged with breaking into Antioch homes, including one owned by Mike Newman.
"I wasn't home so they broke in my back door and then came out the front from there," Newman said.
Neighbors noticed the teenagers going from house to house.
"A couple of kids - teens - were going around to the houses knocking on the door with a piece of paper saying, ‘Would you like to join our church?'" said neighbor Laura Mac.
Police said that was just a lie to hide the real reason they were there.
"It's a malicious ruse. It's a sadistic con, if you will," said Jason Beddoe with the Metro Nashville Police Department.
When police pulled the teens over, they found stolen items from three homes in the neighborhood.
The investigation revealed a 17 year old suspect went to Whites Creek High School. Police were also because at the time of his arrest, his teacher had him marked as present at school.
Inaccurate attendance figures have been a big issue with Metro Police Chief Ronal Serpas. He asked the school board in October to do something about the problem. Serpas said it was clear some teachers still aren't getting the job done.
"The teachers who are getting it right, thank you. Our children, community, parents deserve that. For those teachers not counting roll every day - get with the program," Serpas said.
Metro Public Schools have responded to Chief Serpas' concerns. Monday the administration made some changes. Now, the same office that handles truancies and discipline will now handle attendance.
School officials said the teacher who marked the teenager present will either be reprimanded or forced to take some type of new training.
In October, Chief Serpas asked the school board to address the attendance problem. Since then, police said they have arrested 140 students marked present at school that day.
Thanks Joey for the info......
