Exterior of the Dickson County Sheriff’s Office Administrative Complex, 2024 (Source: WKRN)

DICKSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Thieves have targeted a rural community in Dickson County and have broken into nearly two dozen vehicles.

Investigators told News 2 that the thieves searched 22 vehicles and stole items from 11 of them. Detectives added that the thieves stole a laptop, cash and two handguns. They also stole an SUV, but authorities later recovered the vehicle.

News 2 has obtained surveillance footage from the early morning of Thursday, July 18.

Investigators said it showed thieves rummaging through vehicles on Petty Road, which is between Charlotte and White Bluff. By dawn, reports were pouring in to the Dickson County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Tim Eads told News 2 that this is a high number of burglaries for this community. Most disturbing, the veteran law enforcement official explained, are the two stolen guns. Eads explained that most people with a criminal history cannot legally purchase a firearm, so they steal them.

“Often that weapon is used against an innocent person or a member of law enforcement,” Eads added.

In bodycam footage, a victim told officers that the thieves had searched her Mini Cooper and taken nothing.

Deputy: Has anything been stolen?

Victim: No.

She told the officer that a small amount of money had been stolen from her truck.

“The money is gone, that’s all,” the victim added.

Further down the street, another victim lost a .38 caliber revolver from her freshly washed truck. She spoke to the officer about possible leads.

“We washed the truck on Sunday,” the other victim told the officer. “Those are bare footprints, because there were no footprints.”

An alert officer took photographs of the footprint and compared its dimensions to a $20 bill.

Sheriff Eads said everyone, even in small communities, should lock their vehicles and keep their belongings secure.

“A lot of times people are lulled into a false sense of security,” Eads said. “You’re out in the country. Your neighbors aren’t going to victimize you. It’s like any storm that comes through. You always want to be prepared.”

The two handguns are still missing at the time of publication. Officials told News 2 that at least one possible suspect has been identified in this case.