The following are highlights of incidents that were handled by officers of the Baxley Police Department over the past several days.
On Sept. 5 at approximately 9:00 pm, officers met with a complainant in the parking lot of Wal-Mart in reference to a theft. On arrival, the complainant told officers that person(s) unknown had entered her vehicle and removed her purse and its contents, which consisted of $15.00 in currency, assorted cards and papers, and other personal items. The purse was a brown in color M & K purse. After an investigation, a person was identified in connection with the theft. Demetrias Carter, age 30, was charged with one count of burglary in the second degree.
On Sept. 6 at approximately 10:49 am officers answered a call to a resident on Jonas Street in reference to a vehicle blocking the driveway. On arrival, officers were unable to locate a driver to the abandoned vehicle, so a wrecker was called to the scene to remove the vehicle. After an investigation, officers discovered that the vehicle had been removed from the overflow lot at Woody Folsom’s without permission by a former employee. Charged in connection with this incident was Rosby Stone Jr., age 18 of Baxley, with one count of theft by taking a motor vehicle.
On Sept. 6 at approximately 1:25 pm, officers met with a resident at a Speer Homes address in reference to a theft. On arrival, the resident told officers that she had been gone for some time and when she returned she noticed that person(s) unknown had entered her apartment and removed a 55-inch Magnavox TV (serial number DS2A1506120974) and a diamond ring with a sapphire in the middle of hte diamond cluster. The TV has been entered into the GCIC computer as stolen.
On Sept. 7 at approximately 9:36 am, officers met with a complainant at a local restaurant in reference to a disorderly person. On arrival, the complainant told officers that a person had caused a scene, and at one point threatened to kill him. The complainant went on to tell officers that the offender got into a vehicle and left in a reckless manner. A BOLO was made to other units. After a brief investigation, Tammy Patchen, age 53 of Baxley was charged with one count each of disorderly conduct, reckless conduct, and terroristic threats.
On Sept. 7 at approximately 3:04 pm, officers met with a complainant at the police department in reference to an earlier theft. On arrival, the complainant told officers that while she was at Wal-Mart shopping, she’d accidentally left her wallet in her shopping cart. After she left the store, she returned to look for the wallet but couldn’t find it. The wallet was gray and a Michael Kors brand.
On Sept. 7 at approximately 6:45 pm, officers answered a call to the Key West Inn in reference to damage to property. On arrival, management told officers that some people had rented a room and when they left, several items inside the room were damaged. After an investigation, Tyler Harrelson, age 23, and Mary Griffin, age 31, both of Baxley, were charged with one count each of criminal damage to property in the second degree.
On Sep. 9 at approximately 11:12 am, officers answered a call to Wal-Mart in reference to a trespassing. Officers met with the L.P.C. officers who told them a person was inside the store after being served an order to stay away. Shauna Pearson, age 36 of Baxley, was charged with one count of criminal trespassing in connection with this incident.
On Sept. 11 at approximately 10:05 am, officers met with a complainant at a N. Blvd address in reference to a burglary. On arrival, the complainant told officers that person(s) unknown had broken into his business and ransacked several offices. Reported missing was a computer monitor (eMachine brand), a 24-inch flat screen TV (Emerson brand) and $50.00 in change. The complainant also told officers that this was the third time the business had been broken into, but that he didn’t report the first two. During those two burglaries, he stated that approximately $10.00 in change and a 32-inch flat screen TV (Emerson brand) had been stolen.
On Sept. 13 at approximately 4:48 pm, officers answered a call to Wal-Mart in reference to a theft. On arrival, officers met with the L.P.C. officer who told officvers that there had been two people in the store who left with items they had no paid for. After an investigation, police located and arrested Krystal Simpson, age 35 of Baxley, and Rosa Edwards, age 48 of Lumber City, with one count each of theft by shoplifting.
On Sept. 14 at approximately 10:23 pm, officers answered a call Valero’s in reference to a robbery. On arrival, the clerk told officers that while she was closing, two people entered the store through the back door and knocked her down. They tied her down with her shoe laces. After robbing the store, the two suspects fled on foot. The clerk managed to get free and call 911. The clerk described the persons as being dressed in dark clothing. One of them had a white mask on. A BOLO was posted to other units and the area was canvassed thoroughly, but no one was found fitting the description given to the officers. After a supervisor arrived, the store was checked and it was reported that an unknown amount of cash were taken from several game machines along with an unknown amount of cash from a green bank bag. The G.B.I. and their crime scene techs were called in to assist in working this incident.
On Sept. 17 at approximately 3:37 pm, officers met with a complainant at the police department in reference to a missing vehicle. On arrival, the complainant told officers that the vehicle was parked in the driveway at his home, and went missing some time between Sept. 13-14. The missing vehicle is described as a 2012 Honda Civic, black in color and was displaying a Georgia plate of PZJ9590. The vehicle’s VIN was I9XFB2F8CE046657. The vehicle has been entered into the GCIC system as stolen and a BOLO was posted to other units and surrounding counties. (UPDATE: On September 19, the vehicle was found in St. Augustine, Florida by an officer with the St. Augustine Police Department and a suspect was arrested in connection with its theft. Christopher Mabry, age 44 of Alma, was charged with one count of theft by taking a motor vehicle in connection with this incident. The vehicle was impounded and will be returned to its rightful owner.)
On Sept. 18 at approximately 9:21 pm, officers made a traffic stop on a vehicle for an improper turn off of Brobston Street. As a result of the stop, and a GCIC check of the driver’s information, it came back that the driver was wanted out of Chattooga County for a failure to appear. After a consent search, a quantity of assorted pills was seized off a passenger in the vehicle. Charged in connection with this incident was Barbara King, age 35 of Alma, for one count of operating an unregistered vehicle. Also charged was Amanda Taylor, age 29 of Manor, with one count each of having an open container, having drugs not in their original container, and possession of a controlled substance.
On Sept. 19 at approximately 12:11 am, officers answered a call to a Harry Street address in reference to assistance for EMS. While officers were on the way to Harry Street, dispatch gave them another call to go to the hospital instead to meet with the EMS, and they were transporting a person who’d been cut. Once at the E.R., EMS personnel told officers that they had transported a person from the Harry Street address that had been involved in a domestic argument which resulted in the person being physically assaulted and cut on the left arm and shoulder. After an investigation, Reyes Gomez, age 33 of Baxley, was charged with one count each of aggravated assault, simple battery under the Family Violence Act and terroristic threats and acts in connection with this incident. The victim was treated for injuries sustained during the altercation and later released.
On Sept. 19 at approximately 9:35 am, officers met with a complainant at the Appling County Hospital parking lot in reference to a theft. On arrival, the complainant told officers that while she was inside the hospital, person(s) unknown went into her vehicle and removed her purse and its contents.
On Sept 19 at approximately 6:00 pm, officers met with a resident at a Holmvesville Avenue address in reference to a theft. On arrival, the resident told officers that some time during the previous night, person(s) unknown entered her vehicle and removed several items of personal paperwork, passports for her family, cards, and $25.00.
On September 21 at approximately 3:58 am, officers responded to a Ben Carter address in reference to a person attempting to break in the residence. On arrival, officers were given a description of the person who had fled on foot before their arrival. After a short canvas of the area, officers got another call in reference to the same person at another address on Canal Street. Officers arrived at the scene where the person was taken into custody. After officers secured the person, they noticed that he was disoriented. confused, and paranoid. Once officers got to the detention center with the person, he told them that he feared his wife had been killed and that he’d last seen her at a Century Street address. Officers immediately went to the address and conducted a search of the home, finding no one home but they did seize several baggies, one of which had 3 grams of methamphetamine inside it, along with a smoking pipe, that also tested positive. All items were seized and the search continued for the missing person. The search went on through the night until about noon the next day when the missing person was located hiding in the woods near one of the addresses. The person told officers that she’d been hiding out of fear for her life. Charged in connection with this incident was Telly Bennett, age 32 of Baxley on one count each of disorderly conduct and possession of a controlled substance.
On September 22 at approximately 2:06 pm, officers answered a call in reference to the City’s Water Works Park in reference to a theft. On arrival, officers met with a complainant who told them that he was charging his two phones and had walked to the restroom and, when he returned, the phones were gone. After an investigation and review of surveillance footage and a consent search of a backpack and a nearby parked vehicle, a small amount of marijuana was seized along with some drug paraphernalia. Charged in connection with this incident was Warren Hobbs, age 22, on one count each of possession of marijuana and possession of drug related objects. Also charged was Travis McNeil, age 20, on one count of theft by taking, and Tyler Mayes, age 17, on one count each of theft by taking, possession of a drug related object and possession of marijuana. All three persons have a Baxley address.
On September 22 at 4:20 pm, officers answered a call to Wal-Mart in reference to a theft. On arrival, officers met with the L.P.C. officers, who had a person detained for taking nine phones without paying ofr them. After a brief investigation and review of surveillance footage, officers discovered that seven iPhone 5S and two iPhone 6S phones  were taken. Charged in connection with this incident was Brionnah King, age 24 of Baxley on three counts of theft by shoplifting.
Chief Godfrey would like to ask anyone who has knowledge of these or any other crimes to contact the Baxley Police Department or the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.