Dennis Pethke jailed after stealing $459,485 worth of his brother-in-law’s belongings

30-year-old Dennis Michael Pethke housesat for his brother-in-law, William Richey Jr., and his family while they were out of town from February 8th to February 11th. When they returned, they discovered several missing items, including high-end, luxury designer clothing, jewelry, handbags, and collectibles. They asked Pethke if anyone else had been in the house or if the doors had been unlocked while they were gone, and he told them that he was the only one in there. Then, after Richey Jr. told him that he alerted the authorities, Pethke called them and can be heard on a recorded call admitting to stealing over 200 items and selling them to pawn shops, consignment stores, and online retailers. Detectives located and placed a hold on one of the reported jewelry items in a pawn shop out of Murfreesboro. They discovered the seller was Pethke after verifying him by his Tennessee driver’s license. Officers were provided with text messages between the owner of a consignment store and Pethke, stating he wanted to sell several items listed in the police report. The owner was cooperative with the Richey family and willingly returned their items. The owner of the two other stores confirmed that Pethke sold the items and advised officers that he called them, stating he needed to retrieve them because they were stolen. The total cost of the stolen belongings was $459,485 at the time, but they had not finished tallying all their missing things and had only recovered 25 out of the 200 listed. Pethke was taken into custody for theft of property on February 21st.

Deandrecus Ford caught driving stolen Audi A5 without a license

31-year-old Deandrecus Ford was jailed on February 19th when officers observed an Audi A5 with no tags driving on Glastonbury Road toward Massman Drive. Officers initiated a traffic stop, and Ford could not provide a registration. It was also discovered that Mr. Ford was driving on a suspended license. Officers ran the vehicle’s VIN and determined the car was stolen out of Memphis on February 17th. Ford was taken into custody and said he purchased the car from a friend for $900. A search of the vehicle yielded one marijuana bud and a digital scale. Officers also located an open bottle of Jack Daniels in the car. Ford admitted to knowing it was there from the day before. In the trunk of the vehicle, officers located signs for “Shelandra Ford” for office in Shelby County. Mr. Ford told officers that it was his mother. When officers called the unnamed victim, they accurately described Mr. Ford as the thief. The victim said he gave Mr. Ford a ride and stepped out of the vehicle to run something inside. When he came back out, the car was gone. The 2010 Audi A5 is valued at approximately $5,482. Mr. Ford has an extensive criminal history in Shelby County, including two robberies, two attempts at identity theft, burglary, theft, and multiple drug charges. Ford was taken into custody on February 19th for theft of a vehicle, drug paraphernalia, and driving on a suspended license.

Cheyenne Smith caught driving stolen U-Haul truck

20-year-old Cheyenne Smith was jailed on February 17th for driving a stolen U-Haul truck. While police patrolled the Marathon gas station on Trinity Lane, they ran the plates of a U-Haul truck, which came back stolen. Officers then watched as Cheyenne entered the driver’s seat of the U-Haul. After a traffic stop, it was discovered that Cheyenne didn’t have a valid driver’s license and was not responsible for renting the vehicle. Officers attempted to locate the individual who rented the vehicle but were unsuccessful. Cheyenne was taken into custody for theft and driving without a license.

Artavia Henderson booked after stealing $900 from Walmart in 2021

28-year-old Artavia Henderson was booked on the citation of theft on February 13th, 2024. In June 2021, officers responded to the Walmart on Nolensville Pike and spoke with Kyle Kloes, a loss prevention officer. Kloes advised officers that Henderson, an employee at the time, had been stealing from the store. Kloes stated that Loss Prevention located two suspicious transactions from her employee ID and reviewed footage from June 19th, 2021, and June 21st, 2021, showing her loading $400 and then $500 onto pre-paid Visa cards without depositing cash into the register. When Kloes spoke with Henderson, Henderson admitted to the thefts. Henderson was booked on the citation of theft on February 13th.

Sayva Phillips caught stealing $45 worth of merchandise from Nordstrom

20-year-old Sayva Phillips was issued a citation on January 13th for shoplifting at Nordstrom on Abbott Martin Road. The asset protection officer reported that Phillips walked into the women’s changing room with her selected clothing and a green bag. When she left the changing room, she only had some of the selected items in hand. Phillips then paid for an item and went into the bathroom. Phillips put multiple items she did not pay for in the Nordstrom bag with her purchased item. The asset protection officer stopped Phillips as she attempted to leave the store. $45 worth of merchandise was recovered from her bag. Phillips was booked on a citation on February 5th.

Booster Ana Garcia caught stealing over $170 of merchandise from Walmart

34-year-old Ana Gabriela Garcia stole from the Charlotte Pike Walmart on the afternoon of January 24th. A loss prevention employee observed this, and they advised officers that Garcia entered the store, selected items, and carried them out of the door without paying. The $172.49 stolen merchandise was recovered, and Garcia was cited for the incident. Garcia was taken into custody for theft on February 12th.  

18-year-old Lauryn Carter caught shoplifting at Nordstrom

18-year-old Lauryn Kerry Carter was caught shoplifting at Nordstrom on Abbott Martin Road on January 27th. Tyrell Rutledge, security for Nordstrom, detained Carter and alerted officers. Officers arrived and reviewed the footage showing Carter taking price tags off of items and concealing merchandise. Carter was cited for the incident. Carter was taken into custody for theft on February 12th.

18-year-old Ryan Clark caught shoplifting at Nordstrom

18-year-old Ryan Mackenzie Clark was caught shoplifting at Nordstrom on Abbott Martin Road on January 27th. Tyrell Rutledge, security for Nordstrom, detained Clark and alerted officers. Officers arrived and reviewed the footage showing Clark taking price tags off of items and concealing merchandise. Clark was cited for the incident. Clark was taken into custody for theft on February 12th.

Booster Tatyana Burgess jailed after stealing over $2,000 in merchandise across multiple incidents

25-year-old Tatyana Burgess was taken into custody for three counts of theft on February 8th. On April 25th, 2023, Burgess stole $520 worth of merchandise from Academy Sports on Gallatin Pike North and fled before officers arrived. Then, on December 21st, 2023, Mark Wagner, a loss prevention officer, observed Burgess and an unknown individual walk into the Old Navy at Tanger Outlet Mall on Cane Ridge Road, each carrying a bag. Then, Burgess took clothes off the shelves and brought them to the unidentified individual so they could place them in their bags. Once the bags were filled with $1,854.54 worth of items, they walked past the points of sale and left the location. Then, on January 2nd, Burgess and two others, one female and one male, entered the GAP at Tanger Outlet Mall. Burgess walked around the store removing security tags and handing clothes to the male, who concealed them in a blue plastic bag before they left without paying. Officers used store video footage, TN DL pictures, and Facebook to help identify Burgess. Burgess has a history of shoplifting charges in multiple states.

Jonathan Mattingly breaks into woman’s apartment, emails her photo captioned “Staying with ya tonight!”

37-year-old Jonathan Mattingly was booked after entering an apartment on Rep. John Lewis South without permission. Chloe Witmer advised that she received an email with a picture of her garage key fob and pass with the subject line reading “Staying with ya tonight!” That image was followed by a selfie of Mattingly in the bathroom of Chloe’s apartment that she uses as a short-term rental. One of Chloe’s employees went to the apartment and found a handwritten note signed by Mattingly on the ground. She then entered the apartment and said hello, to which Mattingly replied hello back. Mattingly then came out from the bedroom area and began talking to her as if nothing was wrong. When Mattingly started digging in a bag, the employee became uncomfortable and left the apartment. She later returned with the police, but Mattingly was no longer there. The property captured in the selfie was also missing from the apartment. Police recovered a pill bottle with Mattingly’s name and an address in Bardstown, Kentucky. Officers located an article detailing the 2022 arrest of Mattingly in Pikeville, Kentucky. The booking photo in the article and the photo from Mattingly’s email were used so Chloe and the employee could identify him. Officers contacted the Pikeville Police Department and were provided with Mattingly’s Kentucky driver’s license number. Mattingly was taken into custody for theft and aggravated burglary on February 6th.