County juvenile probation officers take custody of a teenager who was involved in two vehicle thefts early Tuesday morning in Montoursville. The photo was taken at the back of the borough's police station. A total of six male juveniles will face charges for stealing the vehicles; including three of whom were already on juvenile probation. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette

Six male juveniles – all from Williamsport and ranging in ages 13 to 16 – are expected to face criminal charges for stealing two cars in Montoursville and one from the Williamsport overnight Monday, according to borough police.

All were taken into custody by 6 a.m. Tuesday, police said.

Two of the teens were nabbed in the borough while four others were captured by police officers just west of the borough line in Loyalsock Township thanks to help police received through social media.

Officers started receiving numerous tips about the teens’ whereabouts after the police department altered residents on its social media page to the car thefts and that at least four males were being sought.

Investigators believe the teens first stole a blue Dodge Journey from the city and drove it to Montoursville, according to borough Police Chief Jeff Gyurina.

Investigators believe a group of male teens first stole from the city the blue Dodge Journey at left and then drove it to Montoursville, where they stole the White Tahoe at right. Before taking the Tahoe, the teens took an Expedition from the borough, but quickly abandoned it after it's owner started chasing after them, borough police said. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette

“About 4:45 a.m., a resident in the 600 block of Bennett Street was letting her dog out when she saw that someone was starting up her white Expedition outside her home,” Gyurina said.

“They started to drive away, and the woman chased after them on foot. They stopped a short distance, bailed out and jumped into the blue Dodge Journey that was occupied and was following the Expedition,” Gyurina explained. The Journey sped off.

There was no damage to the Expedition.

Police were immediately notified and a search was underway for the Dodge Journey, which a borough officer spotted being driven in the 500 block of Arch Street about 5:15 a.m., Gyurina said. With the Journey was a white Tahoe that turned out to have been stolen from the 300 block of Arch Street, Gyurina said.

Both vehicles fled together from the officer. There was a brief pursuit that ended in the front yard of 632 North Loyalsock Avenue when the Tahoe struck a curb and blew out a rear tire, the police chief said. Unable to stop, the driver of the Dodge Journey crashed into the back of the Tahoe. Youths were seen jumping out of both vehicles and fleeing in all directions, Gyurina said.

State troopers along with police officers from South Williamsport and the city, plus a K-9, rushed to the borough and assisted in capturing the teens. A total of six were brought to borough police headquarters for questioning. Three of them were already on juvenile probation and turned over to county juvenile probation officers, Gyurina said, adding that the other three were released to parents or guardians, who came to the police station to get them.

All six are expected to be petitioned into juvenile court on theft and conspiracy charges, Gyurina said.