Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero and Police Chief Eve Thomas named Knoxville Police Department Officers John Pickens and Amy Boyd Co-Officers of the Month for December.  Officer Pickens has been with KPD since June 2006 while Officer Boyd has been with the department since July 2011.

On Monday, December 10, 2018, at approximately 2:09 p.m., a male was shopping for diamond rings at Kay Jewelers located at 3001 Knoxville Center Drive when the suspect grabbed two rings and fled the store.  Officer Pickens responded to the scene to investigate and notified West District patrol units that the suspect may be headed to other stores in the area.

At approximately 2:58 p.m., a suspect with the same description from Kay Jewelers committed a robbery at the Zales Store located in West Town Mall.  The suspect fled the store without paying for two different sets of earrings.  Officer Garrett Fontanez and Officer Boyd circulated the area in an attempt to locate the suspect, but he was unable to be located at that time. 

Officer Fontanez continued to conduct property checks at Jewelry Stores along Parkside Drive.  When Officer Fontanez arrived at Kay’s Jewelers located at 11357 Parkside Drive, he discovered the suspect was inside the store.  The suspect was detained without incident.  Officer Pickens responded to the scene and was able to confirm the male was the suspect wanted for the Kay Jewelers robbery on Knoxville Center Drive.  
 
Officers Boyd and Pickens then checked the parking lot and observed a red Dodge Challenger occupied by two males sitting behind the building across from Kay’s.  As the officers approached the vehicle on foot the suspects fled the scene in the vehicle.  The suspects committed a hit-and-run on Parkside Drive near Campbell Station Road while fleeing.  Officers Boyd and Pickens were able to take both suspects into custody a block from the scene of the hit-and-run.

The vehicle had a strong odor of marijuana and the tag was missing from the vehicle.  It was discovered that the vehicle was rented from Hertz Rent a Car and the tag had been removed to avoid identification.  The tag was found in the vehicle.  The earrings stolen from Zales were located in the center console of the vehicle.  

Chief Thomas said, “There were multiple cases pending on these suspects from Shelby, Hamilton and Davidson Counties in Tennessee, along with incidents in Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi.  These officers used great judgment by warning other officers to the potential of more thefts and then following up by pro-actively searching for the suspects at multiple jewelry stores.  Their efforts resulted in the takedown of suspects wanted in a multi-state crime spree.”

Suspects:
John L. Brown
30-years-old
Memphis, TN address
The suspect who entered the store, John L. Brown, was charged with Theft in the West Town Mall incident.  Brown also had an outstanding warrant for Felony Theft in Davidson County (no bond) and Shelby County (no bond).  


Xavier L. Carter
23-years-old
Memphis, TN address
The driver who fled from officers, Xavier L. Carter, was charged with Theft, Felony Evading, and Leaving the Scene of an Accident.


Kordarious S. Childs
24-years-old
Memphis, TN address
The rear passenger, Kordarious S. Childs, was charged with Theft.