HINESVILLE, Ga. () — The Hinesville Police Department (HPD) says it is working to address a growing concern involving minors illegally carrying firearms.

Chief of Police Tracey Howard told that officers frequently find that guns in possession of minors are stolen, often taken from unlocked vehicles. He said the weapons are primarily being used against property and to scare or intimidate the community.

Howard noted that although police are working to charge minors involves, the judicial process complicated long-term consequences.

“There’s lots of factors that impact how long juveniles are actually incarcerated for,” Howard said. “They have a small window of opportunity where you have to bring a juvenile to court of jurisdiction to determine whether they should remain in detention or they should be released.”

Chief Howard also expressed that the same individuals are being detained, often noticing that the crimes escalate upon their release.

And a lot of times we’re saying that we’re arresting the same people or that the crimes are escalating upon the release of these individuals. So, you know, currently, you know, we’re working with the district attorney’s office related judicial circuit and trying to ensure that we’re doing everything that we can

Officials are urging residents to securely store their firearms and avoid placing them in glass cases, which could make them visible and accessible to potential thieves.