Two people are heading to prison after stealing firearms from firefighters across metro Atlanta.

WSB Radio reported on hundreds of break-ins that occurred from January to June of 2017.

Cobb District Attorney Vic Reynolds has announced two Lawrenceville residents have been sent to state prison after admitting to the vehicle break-ins and thefts.

Ayana Dayshina Forest, 22, and Elisha Howard Ross, 26, each entered guilty pleas to two counts of racketeering and 46 counts of entering auto for the crimes that occurred from January to June of 2017.

Cobb Police Det. R. McElwain and Smyrna Police Det. J. Lanzing worked with law enforcement agencies across 17 counties to connect the dots between the entering autos and track down the perpetrators.

The thieves worked at night, mostly targeting personal vehicles belonging to firefighters that were parked at fire stations. The evidence showed that Forest was the driver and would drop Ross off near a fire station, circling back to pick him up a few minutes later.

Ross usually used a tool to quickly break the window of a vehicle in order to search through glove compartments and other areas inside the vehicles. The two communicated by cell phone during the crimes.

The thieves hit 52 fire stations, one ambulance service, and the Smyrna headquarters of Glock Inc., as well as automobiles parked at 11 residences near a fire station in Acworth. The thieves broke into more than 200 vehicles throughout the metro Atlanta area over the course of six months.

A total of 59 firearms were stolen out of the vehicles, and most of those were then sold on the street. Two of the stolen firearms were found in the suspects’ possession, and another firearm was recovered at the scene of a shooting in DeKalb County. The thieves also took cash, headphones, laptops, and other valuables from the vehicles.

Reynolds says "I’m very proud of the work done in this case by Detectives from Cobb PD and Smyrna PD. When these firefighters are out working to keep our community safe, the last thing they need to worry about is a thief breaking into their vehicles."

Ross entered a negotiated plea to all charges on January 23, and Cobb Superior Court Judge Kimberly Childs sentenced him on that day to 20 years, with 10 years to serve in prison and the balance on probation, and ordered him to pay $8,920 in restitution.

Forest entered her negotiated plea this week to all of the charges. J udge Childs sentenced her to 15 years, with seven years to serve in custody and the rest on probation. She was also ordered to pay $8,920 in restitution.

The following fire stations were hit:

• Alpharetta Fire Stations 81 and 86
• Bartow County Fire Station 13
• Cartersville Fire Station 2
• Clayton County Fire Stations 14, 8, 9
• Cobb County Fire Stations 30, 6, 23, 28,
• Coweta County Fire Stations 16, 12, 5, 8
• Dawson County Fire Station 1
• Douglas County Fire Station 7
• Forsyth County Fire Stations 10, 3, 4, 7, 1
• Gwinnett County Fire Stations 9, 21, 5, 31, 23, 15, 3
• Griffin Fire Stations 2, 1
• Henry County Fire Stations 12, 3, 9, 11, 6
• Newnan Fire Stations 2, 1
• Paulding County Fire Stations 9, 10
• Peachtree City Fire Station 82
• Rockdale County Fire Stations 6, 7
• Roswell Fire Stations 6, 2
• Smyrna Fire Stations 1, 5, 3, 4,
• Social Circle Fire Department
• Spalding County Fire Station 1
• Walton County Fire Station 2