Sumter Co. deputies arrest two teenagers accused to stealing cars

(AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

FILE - Shown is a Philadelphia police car with flashing lights in Philadelphia, Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. The Philadelphia Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police has filed a lawsuit Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022 seeking to stop a city law banning officers from pulling over drivers for low-level offenses from going into effect saying the law illegally pre-empts existing state laws on traffic violations. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. (WOLO)–  The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office arrested two teenagers accused of stealing cars on Monday afternoon, say deputies.

The teens, 15 and 16, were both arrested together with stolen cars and both were charged with grand larceny of a motor vehicle.

According to deputies, 911 dispatch took a call on Monday, June 24, from a resident reporting the theft of their 2020 Kia Optima around 5:45 p.m.

Deputies from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report and located the vehicle near Lynx Court following a Hyundai.

Deputies activated their lights and sirens before both vehicles sped into the backyard of a nearby home.

The teens were detained, and deputies say records revealed the Hyundai had been stolen from a home on Alice Drive.

Authorities say the first suspect to have been detained during the investigation admitted to being the driver of the Hyundai.

Investigators interviewed witnesses and gathered evidence.

Since the Hyundai was stolen within city limits, Sumter Police took its driver into custody, while the Kia driver was taken to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.

Both teens were then taken to the Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia.

“It’s sad when young people make decisions that hurt others and themselves. There are serious consequences for breaking the law,” says Sheriff Anthony Dennis.