The Lexington Police Department recently arrested and charged two suspects in connection with a series of incidents of theft of items from within motor vehicles and tampering with motor vehicles on the night of June 11-12.
Mya Simone Hippert, 23, of Clifton Forge and Austin Lee Shaver, 19, of Charlottesville, were both taken into custody on June 27 and charged with two felonies apiece.
Shaver was charged with one count of grand larceny and Hippert was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit grand larceny, and they each were charged with one felony count of child abuse and neglect after the investigation uncovered that they had a young child in their car while committing these crimes. Shaver is also charged with one misdemeanor count of tampering with a motor vehicle.
A post made to the department’s Facebook page on Friday praised the efforts of detective Sgt. Jess Burks and Cpl. Harlie Curry of the department’s investigation division for their work in pursuing leads and coordinating with patrol units “to bring this case to a successful conclusion.”
The post highlighted the work of Ianotta and Rabb for searching an area where the suspects were known to have been and finding a fast food receipt that led to the identification of the suspects’ vehicle, and Officer Stewart, who “diligently canvassed local businesses for security camera footage” and uncovered details revealing that the suspects had a child in their car at the time of the alleged thefts.
“The behind-the-scenes dedication given by our Investigations Division makes a tangible difference every day, and we are proud of their commitment to keeping our city safe,” the post concluded. “These arrests not only bring justice but also send a clear message: Our community’s safety is a top priority, and this criminality will not be tolerated. If you see something suspicious, report it — your tips help our officers do what they do best, and, always, remember to secure your vehicles when they are not attended.”
Preliminary hearings for the larceny charges have been scheduled for Aug. 4 in Lexington General District Court.
