MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — As the holiday season begins, Murfreesboro Police are warning residents to stay alert as criminals become more active during this time of year. Officers are reminding the public to always lock vehicle doors and remove valuables before leaving cars unattended. MPD Deputy Chief Steve Jarrell said… Police say items such as purses, wallets, backpacks, and newly purchased gifts should never be left in plain view inside a vehicle. Even for a short time, visible valuables increase the risk of a break-in.
Over the past 129 days in Murfreesboro, approximately 170 vehicle break-ins have been reported. According to the most recent data, Sunday is the most common day for these crimes to be reported, followed by Saturday and then Friday. However, many of the break-ins happen during the overnight hours and are discovered or reported the following morning. Thursday ranks as the fourth most popular day for car burglaries to be reported locally, while break-ins reported on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday remain much lower.
For those traveling into Nashville for shopping, police say the risks rise even higher. Over 1,600 vehicle break-ins have been reported in Music City over the past four months — an 841 percent higher rate than Murfreesboro during the same time frame. There have also been an 11.08 percent increase in guns stolen from vehicles in Davidson County, when compared to numbers from last year. So far in 2025, 932 guns have been stolen from vehicles in Nashville, with 18 taken in just one week. Overall, Davidson County has recorded 1,205 stolen firearms this year, with 77 percent taken directly from parked vehicles.
While the number of gun thefts are substantially lower in Murfreesboro, the location of where guns are stolen from is the same... Although Murfreesboro Police Captain Clayton Williams did not know the exact split of how many guns have been stolen from cars, verses how many guns were stolen from homes in 2025, he was able to confirm that far more guns are stolen from vehicles than from homes in Murfreesboro.
Vehicle Thefts: In Murfreesboro, about 63 vehicle's were reported as stolen since August 1, 2025. By comparison, Nashville recorded around 1,000 vehicle thefts during the same four-month period.
Nationwide, a large number of incidents that are initially reported as an auto theft later turn out to be lender repossessions. However, in confirmed vehicle theft cases, the stolen vehicles are often used in other criminal activity.
Stolen Property: Police also warn that property stolen from vehicles, homes, and retail stores often ends up being sold online. That means buyers may unknowingly be dealing with criminals when purchasing items through online marketplaces…
Authorities also caution that criminals may target people who are selling goods online. For safety, residents are encouraged to meet in well-lit, public areas or even better, at police department safe exchange locations… Anyone meeting to buy or sell items in Murfreesboro is encouraged to use the designated safe area at the Murfreesboro Police Department, located at 1004 North Highland Avenue.
