Bainbridge Public Safety has arrested and charged two juveniles, in conjunction with last week’s rash of auto break-ins.

Around 3 a.m. on the morning of Monday, Nov. 12, BPS Officer Toby Miller stopped a juvenile on the 1000 block of Water Street after noticing a car with its driver-side door open.

The juvenile was wearing a jacket that had been stolen earlier in the week and was carrying a flashlight and empty change purse. Miller confiscated those items, along with his cell phone, which had a phone number stored on it that led BPS to the youth’s accomplice.

Police brought in both juveniles, who confessed to the break-ins. Both were charged with 27 counts of felony entering auto and are pending further charges. Both suspects are 16 years old.

Major Robert Humphrey, chief investigator with Bainbridge Public Safety, said he estimated there were approximately 40 vehicles broken into between Nov. 4 and Nov. 12. Most of the break-ins occurred on the nights of Nov. 4, Nov. 6 and Friday, Nov. 9, Humphrey said.

Seventeen vehicles and more than 20 mailboxes were broken into on Friday night alone. Victims lived along Russell Street, Pineland Drive, Lake Circle Drive, Dogwood Drive, Lake Douglas Road and Culbreth Street.

The two teens are also believed to be responsible for a “mail rampage” in which they opened up a number of mailboxes throughout southern Bainbridge, removed mail and discarded it, leaving a trail of letters strewn along city streets.

“These kids were looking for anything they could find that was valuable and could easily get their hands on,” Humphrey said.

Some of the items stolen from cars included electronics, portable music players, computers, sunglasses and money. Several victims reported having left their vehicles unlocked on the night they were broken into.