Jefferson City police arrested five people Thursday after a rash of overnight thefts.

Police believe four juveniles, ages 14 and 15, are responsible for stealing from about three dozen vehicles. All but one of them were unlocked. Police also arrested an adult, but after an investigation and interviews, they released the adult and no charges were submitted.

The thefts happened in southeast Jefferson City on Bald Hill Road, Deer Trail, Copperstone Court, and Brady Drive.

Officers say they recovered cell phones, flashlights, laptops, cash, and a loaded handgun.

Information about the crimes first came in at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday when Cole County deputies responded to the 2000 block of Copperstone Court. A resident told officials they saw someone searching through cars.

After 4 a.m., a resident in the 1800 block of Bald Hill Road heard their car window being broken out and contacted police. Officers with Jefferson City searched the area and found other vehicles had been rummaged through.

A newspaper delivery driver helped officers crack the case just after 5 a.m. The driver called police and told them about some suspicious activity near the McDonald’s on Eastland. Officers arrested two of the juveniles in that area and found the other suspects in the 1900 block of Bald Hill. They had stolen property on them.

Detectives from JCPD and the Cole County Sheriff’s Officers are still investigating.