The White Settlement Police Department has announced major developments in solving a series of vehicle burglaries that plagued White Settlement, Benbrook, Westworth Village, and West Fort Worth over the summer of 2024. Multiple suspects have been identified and arrested, thanks to the collaboration of law enforcement agencies across Tarrant County.
The first incident occurred on June 14, 2024, when officers responded to multiple vehicle burglaries in the area of South Las Vegas Trail and Dale Lane. The suspects broke into several vehicles, stealing various items, including a credit card. Detectives swiftly gathered security camera footage from nearby residents and businesses. One of the suspects was seen using the stolen credit card at a convenience store near South Las Vegas Trail and Calmont Avenue in Fort Worth. Detectives reviewed footage from the store, where the suspect was caught on camera purchasing items and leaving in a gray vehicle.
Using the Flock Safety license plate reading system, detectives were able to identify the suspect through the vehicle’s license plate. Felony warrants were issued for the arrest of Dantrell Copeland, and with the help of the Azle Police Department, Copeland was taken into custody without incident.
Just eight days later, on July 22, 2024, another wave of vehicle burglaries occurred, this time in the areas of South Las Vegas Trail, Meadow Park Drive, Cherry Lane, and Dale Lane. Security cameras captured two suspects breaking into multiple vehicles. The suspects then made their way to an apartment complex located in the 7900 block of Emerald Crest Drive, where they stole a black SUV.
It was later discovered that the suspects had stolen multiple firearms from vehicles during the burglaries. The stolen SUV was recovered just a few hours later by White Settlement police near Calmont Avenue. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the suspects had been committing similar crimes in Westworth Village, Benbrook, and Fort Worth.
White Settlement detectives, in cooperation with the Fort Worth, Westworth, and Benbrook police departments, were able to identify one of the suspects as Joshua Bevely. Felony warrants were issued for Bevely, who was arrested by the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office. Bevely faced seven felony warrants from multiple agencies for his involvement in the burglary spree. Westworth Village PD and Benbrook PD also issued additional warrants for other suspects connected to the crimes.
The investigation revealed that the suspects had targeted vehicles across multiple jurisdictions, stealing firearms and personal items. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of local law enforcement and the use of surveillance footage and license plate tracking systems, the prolific burglary suspects were identified and taken into custody.
The White Settlement Police Department expressed its gratitude to all the officers and detectives involved, emphasizing the importance of inter-agency collaboration. Their teamwork and dedication were critical in bringing the suspects to justice and recovering the stolen property, including firearms.
