Sheriff: Burglar Stole $50K in Jewelry – Cartersville Patch

Authorities arrested an Acworth man suspected to lifting a total of more than $50,000 in jewelry, cash and other valuables in several Bartow County burglaries.

Investigators put the cuffs on Joseph William Long, 33, of Rydal, as he attempted to sell allegedly stolen jewelry at an area store, Sheriff Clark Millsap said in a press release.

Linked to at least four home burglaries since October, Bartow County Sheriff's Office investigators said they suspected Long, then started finding stolen jewelry at local pawn shops and stores that buy gold.

So far, authorities have recovered about $25,000 worth of valuables, and say Long sold the jewelry to area stores.

Copper Thieves Hit Businesses – East Atlanta Patch

Earlier this week, Atlanta police said thieves stole air conditioning units from three businesses in the 1200 block of Glenwood Avenue in East Atlanta Village.

The thefts continue an ongoing trend of metals thefts — usually for copper — that has plagued the city.

Businesses have been the prime targets, of course, but private homeowners, churches and even cemeteries have been hit, too.

On Thursday, state Sen. Renee Unterman, R-Buford, announced plans to introduce a new bill that would require heavy metals dealers take fingerprints, and create logs of other identifying information on the people from whom they buy copper and other compounds.

Mormon Official Says Billboards Designed to Clear Up Misconceptions – Buckhead Patch

Dena Brett, director of public affairs for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Atlanta, sent an e-mail to Buckhead Patch about billboards the Mormons have placed in Buckhead.

Brett said in a follow-up email that the billboards are connected to a website, mormon.org, the church put up two and a half years ago "to dispel myths and misconceptions about us." The billboards were placed in Buckhead and other parts of Atlanta in October as part of a national campaign and will remain until March.

The church says that the billboards and website are not connected to the GOP presidential campaign of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.