From STAFF REPORTS



CORDELE — City police have been asked during the last three days to investigate a number of incidents ranging from thefts to vandalism to altercations.

An employee of the Southwest Georgia United Asset office located at 412 12th Ave. E. told Sgt. Charles Pheil her Kodak MD863 digital camera and its memory card valued at a total of $174.11 went missing from that location about two weeks ago.

PFC David Haas took David Earl Lewis Jr., 45, of 411 Eighth Ave. E., into custody Tuesday evening at Wal-Mart on a shoplifting charge.

Store employees told the officer they caught Lewis trying to steal two DVDs valued at $39.92. Lewis had reportedly removed the items from their cases and placed them on his person.

Sgt. Charles Hill cited Maryja King, 18, of 322 W. Woodward St., Vienna, with shoplifting after employees of Joe’s Sunoco accused her of a $25 gas drive-off shortly after 2:30 a.m. Friday.

The vandalism complaint was filed by a resident of the 600 block of Second St. N. She told PFC Clinton Latham shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday she had just discovered where someone had slashed both passenger side tires on her car.

The complainant gave the officer the name of a suspect with whom she had recently had a dispute with but he denied responsibility for the damage. Members of his family also said he had been at home since he last got out of jail.

In the first of five disturbances reported, Lt. Frank Wise first sped to the 11th Street-22nd Avenue area shortly after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday when told a large crowd was there possibly fighting.

The officer said it appeared some females had been having a problem before he got to that location where no altercation was observed upon his arrival.

About 30 minutes later, Wise rushed to the Hilltop Apartments complex on 24th Ave. W. when police were told a fight involving females armed with bats was in progress. He said when he arrived on the scene, he only saw a couple of males who promptly left the area.

A resident of the 500 block of 22nd Ave. W. told PFC David Haas at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday that a subject he knew only as “Doodle” had been standing outside his residence making threats toward him.

He said the offender also admitted having previously shot up his residence and said he would do so again. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the subject.

Cpl. Jesse Barfield went to a residence in the 700 block of 10th St. N. Thursday afternoon when the occupant reported a woman she named came into her house uninvited and began fighting with her over an unknown man. A cell phone was reportedly damaged in the altercation. The investigating officer said he has requested the offender be charged with disorderly conduct when she is located.

A disorderly conduct charge was made against Essie Gay, 62, of 1103-A McClendon Court, after she allegedly went to a neighboring apartment and threatened the occupant about remarks she had allegedly made about Gay’s granddaughter.

The complainant said the offender was armed with a gun at the time. When confronted, Gay admitted contacting the complainant to straighten out some comments and that while doing so she had an empty BB gun in her possession. That weapon was temporarily seized as evidence.

In other activity between Wednesday and early Friday, officers:

— Investigated reports of a suspicious vehicle and suspicious person.

Cpl. Bruce Gourley was dispatched to the Blackshear Trail Elementary School area just before 7 p.m. Tuesday when a woman reported that a gold colored van had followed her daughter as she was walking her dog. The young girl tried but was unable to get the vehicle’s tag number.

Cpl. Gourley and Lt. Wise investigated a 2:55 a.m. Wednesday report that a subject was possibly hiding in the bushes at St. Teresa’s Catholic Church where construction is ongoing due to a recent fire. The officers found no one on the scene.

— Participated in a vehicle chase in which the pursuit wound up being futile.

Lt. Louis New said he was on routine patrol Wednesday morning when he initiated a traffic stop at 20th Avenue and Moore Street for defective brake lights.

The driver of the 1989 Buick involved in the incident steered into the parking lot of a business in the area, exited onto Greer Street and then drove away at a relatively slow speed.

After turning west on 20th Avenue and south on Stewart Street, the car momentarily stopped but immediately took off at a high rate of speed when New exited his patrol vehicle. The officer resumed the chase but later lost sight of the vehicle.

— Investigated a forgery complaint filed by the owner of Papa’s Southern Meats and Eats.

The complainant told Officer Chris Forsythe the offender had written four checks totaling almost $165 on the account of his father who when contacted said the son has a drug problem and had stolen and written checks on his account.

While the father has agreed to repay the business owner for the checks on the account he has frozen, Forsythe said he is requesting that a first degree forgery warrant be issued for the son.

— Arrested a 15-year-old for a burglary at an unspecified residence.

Georgia law prohibits identification of the youth who was taken into custody just before noon Wednesday at Crisp County Middle School.

— Said their investigation of an alleged $800 theft from a McLeod Rd. resident resulted in the arrest of Charlotte Latrice Glenn, 28, on a probation violation warrant.

PFC Christina Martinez said Glenn was initially accused of taking money from the pants pocket of her ex-boyfriend while he slept. She only had $20 in her possession when questioned. With no evidence she had actually taken the complainant’s money, she avoided a theft charge.

— Looked into an apparent scam attempt.

A local resident who came to the police department to report the incident told Cpl. Martinez a male caller asked for her by name and then said he needed to get information about a mortgage application she had submitted.

Upon informing the caller she had taken no such action and would not be providing any information, the call was terminated. When the officer tried to return the call, an answering machine picked up and did not give the company name.