MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS) - Two people are in custody after a string of scooter thefts across the Middle Tennessee State University campus, and officials say it was the quick action of an alert student that helped break the case open.

According to the MTSU Police Department, the arrests came Friday (3/6/2026), just hours after a campus‑wide email reminded students to secure their scooters and bicycles. The message went out because officers had noticed a spike in thefts, and they wanted the campus community to stay alert. That reminder turned out to be perfectly timed.

Not long after the email was sent, a student spotted an abandoned scooter that seemed out of place and contacted campus police. When Master Patrol Officer Dishner arrived to check it out, he noticed two individuals across the street who matched the description from a BOLO issued earlier in the day. Officers had already been looking for suspects tied to the recent thefts, and the pair fit the description closely enough to warrant a closer look.

After further investigation, police determined the two were responsible for multiple scooter thefts on campus. Neither suspect is an MTSU student. Thanks to the student’s call and the officers’ quick response, nine stolen scooters have already been recovered, and both individuals are now facing charges connected to the thefts.

MTSU Police emphasized that this case is a clear example of how campus safety depends on everyone working together. They thanked the student who made the call and encouraged others to continue reporting anything that seems unusual or out of place. Officers also reminded students to use proper locks and secure their scooters and bicycles, especially as thefts tend to rise during busy parts of the semester.

In their statement, MTSU Police said it plainly: "When the community pays attention and speaks up, it makes a difference. And in this case, it helped bring a pattern of thefts to a quick end".