Alabama teens caught with stolen firearms in Coweta County, police say

Alabama teen caught driving with stolen gun

Newnan police said they recently arrested three armed teenagers. One of them was caught crossing state lines with a stolen gun under the driver’s seat, according to police.

Authorities in Newnan and Coweta County say they have seen a disturbing trend of teens with guns. In less than a week, there have been two separate incidents among teens involving stolen guns.

It is important to note that in these two incidents that led to the arrest of three armed teens, none of the teens were actually from Coweta County, but had come to the area to allegedly commit crimes with the guns, or were passing through was.

In the latest incident, Newnan police officers say they stopped a car full of Alabama teenagers and discovered two handguns under the driver’s seat. Police say one was stolen.

Newnan police say they arrested four Alabama teens on Oct. 26, 2024, and recovered stolen guns.

Newnan police say they arrested four Alabama teens on Oct. 26, 2024, and recovered stolen guns. (Newnan Police Department)

Police have charged the 17-year-old driver, Jaydian Hardnett-Hunter of Opelika, Alabama, with theft by receiving a stolen firearm, transferring a stolen weapon across state lines, possession of a firearm by minor, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. a misdemeanor, misdemeanor possession of marijuana and a headlight violation, which was the reason for the traffic stop.

(Coweta County Sheriff’s Office)

This is a community already on edge last week over the armed carjacking of a woman by a 15- and 16-year-old.

That incident resulted in a high-speed chasethe immediate arrest of one of the teenagers, and a manhunt for the second, who was captured by police later that evening.

Newnan police say they arrested four Alabama teens on Oct. 26, 2024, and recovered stolen guns.

Newnan police say they arrested four Alabama teens on Oct. 26, 2024, and recovered stolen guns. (Newnan Police Department)

During the aforementioned traffic stop, five young people were in the car. The driver was charged because police say he was closest to the weapons found under his seat.

Police say all of these gun charges are felonies.