From STAFF REPORTS
CORDELE — Larger cities aren’t the only ones experiencing difficulties with panhandlers as evidenced by recent complaints filed with Cordele Police Department officers.
Sgt. Jeremy Taylor said he was called to Dollar General at 402 Seveth St. S. shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday when a black male wearing a blue shirt and khaki pants had been asking customers for money. The alleged offender was not in the area when the officer arrived.
Shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday, Taylor received a similar complaint from the area of Harvey’s Supermarket on East 16th Avenue where a black male wearing a purple striped shirt and white shoes was seeking money from those in the area.
After following the subject’s trail that included a trip through a nearby fast-food restaurant, Taylor said he saw a subject subsequently identified as Morris Battle, 55, of 507 12th Ave. W., approach two vehicles and ask the drivers for money.
After taking Battle into custody on a criminal trespass charge, Taylor ran a check that showed that since March 25th this year officers have documented 21 such incidents involving the alleged offender.
Those offenses occurred at 16 locations and resulted in 14 warnings, four criminal trespass charges, two loitering citations and pme disorderly conduct arrest.
In other activity, police:
— Reported the recovery of items apparently taken in four theft cases, two of which resulted in abandoned bicycles being recovered.
In addition, Lt. Scott Farrow said a Playstation and three games for it were found hidden inside a local pawn shop and Ptl. Chris Forsythe said a 19th Ave. E. resident reported finding near his home a wallet containing identification items belonging to a father and his daughter.
— Executed a search warrant on a 2000 Chevrolet Suburban believed to have been involved in a recent assault case. Collected as evidence from the vehicle were a cigarette lighter and case, a cell phone and a striped blood-stained shirt.
— Received harassing telphone call complaints from the parents of a 9-year-old girl and an older woman.
Sgt. Taylor said he met with the mother and father of the child who said a man identified himself by name to the girl and then told her he wanted to talk to her about sex. Previous harassing calls also had been received by other family members.
Lt. Louis New said a Seven Springs Drive resident reported to him that her mother had been receiving harassing calls as well.
— Probed a vandalism complaint from a 10th Street S. resident who toldPtl. Chris Forsythe that someone had kicked in the front door of her home but did not enter the dwelling or take anything from it.
— Arrested Calvin Johnson, 46, of 414 16th Ave. W., for a probation violation and apprehenson of a wanted person.
— Filed loitering or prowling charges against four women taken into custody by Lt. Louis New shortly before 11:30 p.m. whole on 11th St. S. Those cited were Tara Kateena Green, 37, of 617 Juniper St., Frederick Renna Lewis, 39, of 203 13th St. S,, TTomekia Monek Appling, 32, of 714 Richardson St., and Oshonta West, 27, of 1207-F 11th St. S.
— Cited Hervin Alexander, 37, of 1602 16th Ave. E., with public consumption of an alcoholic beverage after he was reportedly seein in possession of an opened can of beer on the parking lot of a local motel.
