Chattanooga police probe major theft including key evidence truck.
Chattanooga Police report that 39-year-old James Allen Turpin used bolt cutters to break into the police department’s confiscation lot, stealing a Nissan Titan truck, 56 catalytic converters, and, on another occasion, a Yamaha golf car. The stolen items are valued at over $25,000, as reported by Local 3 News.
The Nissan truck is a crucial piece of evidence from a fatal incident on Frazier Avenue last year, where a mini-van struck and killed two pedestrians. The driver of the Nissan truck has not yet been charged.
Criminal attorney Robin Flores highlights the significance of the stolen evidence. “You got evidence in there that is key and critical not only to convict the bad guys and to vindicate the rights of the victims,” Flores said. He adds that the integrity of evidence can be pivotal for a jury’s decision.
Flores suggests that the theft might not have impacted the investigation. “Investigators typically go through crime scenes meticulously,” he explained. The truck would only be critical if evidence directly implicated it. Days later, police found the stolen truck hidden deep in the woods near Turpin’s home on East 32nd Street.
