Chattanooga police are still looking for one more suspect.
Chattanooga
Police have made an arrest in connection with the theft of the 2018
Ford Explorer Sport and 2018 Jeep JK Wrangler Unlimited that were stolen
from the Austin Hatcher Foundation in the early morning of Sunday,
October 20th. David Charles Chatman, 53, has been charged with two
counts of theft of property over $10,000, two counts of burglary, two
counts of vandalism/malicious mischief and a count of theft of property
over $1,000, and there is still one more suspect at large.
It
sounds like the vehicles were in the process of being stripped, but
neither has been recovered yet. The Foundation also gave an update about
the vehicles stating that both SUVs are insured but only to cover their
base cost; it doesn't cover the upgraded parts or the time and energy
that these families put into both vehicles.
On October 21st, the charity announced on Facebook
that the two SUVs had been stolen from its Education Advancement
Center's secured warehouse by thieves who had snuck under the fence,
broke into the warehouse and eventually located the keys to steal the
SUVs. The Explorer was apparently used to ram through a locked gate
causing significant damage including the roof carrier and the factory
roof rails were torn from the vehicle. Both SUVs are extremely unique in
terms of body modifications and paint jobs, and they were going to be
auctioned off by Leake Auto Auction in Scottsdale in January 2020.
Last year, the foundation partnered with aftermarket Jeep parts
supplier Rugged Ridge to create a unique JK Wrangler Hurst Jeepster
Commando tribute, which raised more than $225,000 for the charity
through Leake Auto Auction. It first crossed the auction block in
November 2018 in Dallas where it raised over $150,000 both through bids
and various charitable donations, and then back in June of this year, it
was auctioned off again in Tulsa raising another $75,000. There's no
doubt the custom Explorer and Wrangler would have raised similar money
as the Hurst Jeepster Commando tribute.
On top of the vehicle
theft, the organization's trailer was destroyed, a fence was destroyed
and some vehicle parts were damaged. The SUVs were designed and built by
pediatric cancer patients and their families as part of the
foundation's therapy and recovery program.
If you see either
vehicle (or any of the unique parts listed for sale online) or if you
have any information as to the theft of these vehicles, please call the
Chattanooga Police Department immediately at (423) 698-2525.
