Statham Police Repond to Reports of Burglaries

responded to two reports of burglaries from Aug. 15 through 21, with officers determining no burglaries had occurred at either residence.

On Aug. 16, officers responded to a home on Greenfield Drive in reference to a burglary in progress.

Upon arrival, the officers met with the complainant, who said two of his neighbor's children had run to his house and claimed someone had just broken into their home.

While officers were containing the scene the parent of the children arrived and found one of the children had broken a glass in the kitchen while climbing on the counter. The child was scared that she would get into trouble, so she told her sister someone else has broken the glass. The sister then became concerned that someone was in the house and reported the incident as a burglary to the neighbor.

Officers responded to a home on Granite Lane regarding a possible burglary in progress on Aug. 21.

Upon arrival, the complainant said nothing was missing and a roommate may have left the door unsecured.

Here are summaries of other incidents to which police responded this past week.

• On Aug. 15, an officer responded to the Piggly Wiggly regarding a shoplifting complaint. A store employee reported she observed on the store's surveillance video a black male place a family-size pack of steaks down the front of his pants. She went on to say she recognized the suspect from a picture she had recently seen in a paper that publishes arrest photos. The suspect was recognized by the Statham officer immediately because he had previously been arrested for allegedly shoplifting a pack of hamburgers by putting them down the front of his pants at the Dollar General. The officer took warrants for the suspect and arrested him the next day without incident at his residence on Sunset Drive.
• Officers responded to AutoTech on Dooley Town Road on Aug. 15 regarding a customer dispute. After speaking with the complainant and the store representatives the complainant was asked to leave the premises. Store employees claimed the complainant came to the store to see a particular employee who they believed gives the complainant things for free.
• On Aug. 18 officers met with a victim of credit card fraud at the police department. The complainant’s Wells Fargo account had been compromised resulting in fraudulent overseas transactions. The case was forwarded to investigations for follow up.
• An officer responded to a residence regarding a runaway juvenile on Aug. 20. While the officer was speaking with the juvenile's father the juvenile returned home. The juvenile said he left because he was upset because a female was staying overnight with his father.
• On Aug. 21 officers responded to an accident in which a single vehicle had hit a deer on Dooley Town Road. There were no injuries reported.
• Officers met with a business owner on Atlanta Highway on Aug. 21 regarding an abandoned four-wheeler ATV discovered on the property. The four-wheeler was impounded pending further investigation.