Three teenagers are accused of stealing and taking more than a dozen golf carts for a joyride, damaging all of them in the process.
According to Grainger County Sheriff Scott Layel, managers of the May Springs Campground in Rutledge contacted them on Thursday, July 19, about the thefts and vandalism.
Tenants of the campground told deputies that someone had taken several golf carts overnight, and most of them were located in other parts of the campground.
Investigators believe the teens found a golf cart with a key inside it and stole it. They then used that key to take other carts. The sheriff says the suspects raced the golf carts around the campground, ramming into each other and other objects, including a mailbox and several signs.
The next night, deputies were called to the campground again, when someone caught three teens stealing a golf cart.
The teens told deputies they had entered the campground by paddle boat, and, using the keys from the night before, stole eight carts, playing bumper cars with them and vandalizing more signs.
All three juveniles were arrested and taken to the Knox County Juvenile Detention Center. They face multiple theft and vandalism charges.
In all, the sheriff says 13 carts were stolen over two nights.