Thieves Steal Norton Commons Woman’s Car, Leave Her Mother’s Ashes Behind

Norton Commons car theft victim warns neighbors after organized crew targets new resident.

A Norton Commons woman whose car was stolen is warning neighbors about security concerns while criticizing how police and the homeowners association handled the incident.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) — A Norton Commons resident is alerting her neighbors to car thefts in the area after thieves stole her vehicle just one day after she moved into her new home.

Paula Wheatley said she relocated her family to Norton Commons on Saturday, Dec. 6, because the neighborhood felt safe for her children. When she woke up the following morning, she found that her car was gone from the street in front of her house.

Ring camera footage from a neighbor captured the suspects opening Wheatley’s car. Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officers later recovered the vehicle, but Wheatley said the thieves left behind her mother’s ashes, which had been inside the car, placing them outside her front porch.

“That hit the heart a little bit,” she said.

Wheatley said her vehicle was stolen by three teens whom LMPD arrested and charged following a cross-state police chase on Sunday. She also discovered a credit card belonging to another car theft victim whose vehicle was involved in the pursuit, left outside her home.

“I was completely unaware moving in here that there was such an issue of burglaries,” Wheatley said.

She expressed frustration over what she described as a lack of concern from both LMPD and the Norton Commons Homeowners Association. Wheatley said police never came to her home or spoke with neighbors to collect security footage, and she added that the HOA did not follow up with her after the incident.

“At this point, I feel like it’s a circus,” she said. “They know that they can come here. There’s six people in the car, and they just scatter.”

LMPD said Third Division officers attempted to contact the office of the apartment complex where Wheatley’s car was located. Police said there was no update available regarding that portion of the investigation.

According to an LMPD spokesperson, Norton Commons residents can request extra patrols for specific neighborhoods. The spokesperson said the community has previously worked with District Resource Officers to address similar concerns.

Norton Commons representative Tyler Glick provided WAVE with the following statement regarding the recent string of thefts:

Norton Commons is grateful to LMPD for making arrests in what we understand to be a crime spree across the county involving hundreds of vehicle thefts. Norton Commons invests significant resources on private security patrols and monitoring technology and remains focused on maintaining a safe environment for residents and visitors.

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