Cordele Dispatch, Cordele, GA

December 14, 2009

Police probe trailer, auto thefts


From STAFF REPORTS



CORDELE — Local police officers have been asked to investigate the theft if equipment valued at almost $11,000.

An employee of Clary Logging located at 1408 11th St. N. told Lt. Frank Wise that sometime within the past month a 1991 logging trailer worth $10,000 had been stolen. Company personnel initially thought the trailer had simply been left at a job site but realized recently that wasn’t the case.

Also missing, Wise said he was told, were a 13-horsepower Briggs and Stratton motor removed from an air compressor and a battery. Those two items were valued at $670.

A second stolen vehicle report was filed by Shermare Riley who told Lt. Frank Wise that while she was sleeping Friday night her 1989 Buick Century Custom, $103 in cash and a prepaid cell phone were taken.

The victim told Lt. Wise she believed a former husband was responsible for the theft as they had argued before she went to sleep. When she awoke, he, her car, her money and her cell phone were all missing. A lookout for the vehicle and suspect has been posted in Georgia and North Carolina where he has relatives.

In other activity last Friday, officers:

— Received a fraud complaint from a Rose Lane resident who told Cpl. Kristan Herrick that during a period in 2008 an unknown person living at Pecan Terrace Apartments opened a Direct TV account using his name and personal information.

After running up a considerable bill to the satellite company, the offender never made a payment. The complainant said he personally had not lived at Pecan Terrace since 2004 and that he never lived in the apartment building for which the account had been opened.

— Investigated a theft and an attempted theft.

A resident of the 1000 block of Joe Wright Dr. S. told Lt. Wise that sometime Thursday night or early Friday her Pioneer AM/FM radio valued at $159 was taken by a culprit who broke a vent window in her 1986 GMC to gain access to it.

An attempted theft complaint was filed by a resident of the 1100 block of 11th St. S. The victim told Sgt. Charles Dennard items located near her living room window were knocked over by someone believed to have been looking for presents underneath a Christmas tree in the home.

— Responded to four different altercations that resulted in bodily injury.

Pvt. Erica Cromer said that in responding to a Friday afternoon call from the 500 block of 16th Ave. W. she was waived down by a man who reported having been assaulted by a subject he knew only as “Smoke.”

While the officer was on the scene, the alleged offender returned to the area and was pointed out by the victim who said he was first pushed and then cut behind both ears by the subject.

Cromer said “Smoke,” who later was identified as Ricky Leon Smith, 30, of 2205 10th St. S., was apprehended by other officers and charged with aggravated assault and apprehension of a wanted person. The latter charge resulted from an outstanding warrant issued in Dooly County.

Officer Warren Stowe said he is requesting that a warrant be issued against Eddie Hawkins charging him with simple battery/family violence as the result of his allegedly kicking his wife during a Thursday altercation at 108 Second Ave. W.

Sgt. Charles Dennard said he cited Walter Lee Mobley Jr., 50, of 406 10th St. S., with battery/domestic violence after he allegedly struck his ex-wife when she went to his home sometime around 3:30 a.m. Saturday.

She said the attack came when she asked him why he had just ordered her to leave his residence. The accused gave a different version, telling the officer the victim had been at his house smoking drugs with her friends. When he told her to refrain from doing so she and his sister were the ones that got into a fight.

A Sunset Homes resident also told Cpl. Martinez that a man she named choked her and then pushed her to the ground during a late Friday night altercation. When asked to go to the police station and give a written statement, the alleged victim never showed.

— Probed a lone burglary report.

A resident of the 100 block of Second Ave. W. told Cpl. Christina Martinez that sometime between 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday someone went into his home and stole a Dell laptop and an X-boys 360 and games. Entry was believed to have been gained through the home’s back door.

— Made four shoplifting arrests at Wal-Mart.

Sgt. Robert Montgomery cited Lakeidra Stubbin, 24, of 603-F 23rd Ave. W., and Nicole Blanks, 18, of 609-F 23rd Ave. W., after a loss prevention officer said he saw them trying to leave the store with clothing they had concealed.

Officer Chris Forsythe arrested Porche Williams, 20, of Sylvester, and Vicha Lashawn Nelson, 34, of Warwick, for shoplifting after they, too, allegedly tried to conceal clothing and then leave the store.