A northwest Omaha man reported that hunting gear had been taken from his car — including a rifle and ammunition — and that theft has now spiraled into a case involving three women, a pair of felony warrants, and investigators who think they may be looking at just one slice of a much bigger pattern.
Omaha police arrested 38-year-old Amanda Johnson and 23-year-old Aaliya Frazier a day earlier, identifying them as suspects after the victim reported that hunting supplies, a rifle and ammunition had been taken from his car in northwest Omaha, according to WOWT. Both women were taken into custody and face a lengthy list of charges, including burglary, possession of burglary tools, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, theft by unlawful taking, and possession of a financial transaction device.
Investigators Suspect a Wider Pattern
Police believe the case extends well beyond this single car. Investigators believe Johnson and Frazier are involved in many other theft cases from recent months, and the station's report notes the women may be connected to additional thefts across the metro. The investigation remains ongoing, per the same account.
On Wednesday, Omaha police issued two felony warrants for 31-year-old Tashina Frazier, who is suspected in several theft-from-motor-vehicle cases, as reported by WOWT in its follow-up coverage. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to contact Omaha Crime Stoppers at 402-444-7867, either online or through the P3 Tips mobile app, and tips leading to her arrest could result in a cash reward. Investigators can also be reached directly at 402-444-4877 regarding the arrests already made, and vehicle theft victims can use that same number to file a report.
Car Thefts and Break-Ins Climbing Metro-Wide
A 2019 KETV report described rising vehicle crime in Omaha. The station reported that the department then saw roughly 200 stolen cars and 300 to 400 theft-from-vehicle reports every month, according to KETV.
Police told KETV that apartment parking lots, residential areas without driveways, and older neighborhoods with heavy street parking tend to be easier targets for thieves. Much of the activity comes down to opportunity rather than force: officers say many suspects simply check door handles in a parking lot, take what they find in unlocked vehicles, and move on when they hit a locked one. At the time, the department estimated that about 90 percent of stolen cars were recovered.
Repeat Offenders and Lingering Losses
Rising vehicle theft and the role of repeat offenders aren't new themes in Omaha. A prior Omaha World-Herald report described a woman whose 1997 Honda Civic was stolen twice within two months, and even after authorities recovered the car, she had yet to retrieve it from the city impound lot days later. The same report described a South Omaha man whose 1997 Honda Accord was stolen one night after he left it unlocked on purpose, reasoning that an open door was better than a broken window.
Omaha police continue to advise residents to lock vehicle doors and remove valuables from sight, a precaution that echoes through nearly every account of these thefts. For now, two women are in custody and facing charges tied to the northwest Omaha case, while police keep working to track down Tashina Frazier and determine just how many other thefts this investigation may ultimately touch.
