Oconee Blotter: Shoplifting suspect takes dog along for ride

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office reported the following incidents:

SHOPLIFTING CHARGE: On Dec. 27, Cpl. Kenji Dorsey was dispatched to Walmart, where a loss prevention officer had detained a 39-year-old Watkinsville woman for shoplifting. The woman was observed placing six boxes of an item in a bag and only scanning one. However, the woman explained she thought all six boxes were part of a set. After watching the video, the officer took the woman to jail.

DUMPER CAUGHT: On Dec. 29, Sgt. Samuel Masters was dispatched to meet with a woman on Flat Rock Road after she caught some men illegally dumping old tires on her property. The woman said she came home shortly after 1 p.m. to see a pickup parked along the road and a man dumping the tires. She asked what he was doing and he explained he needed somewhere to dump the tires. The man then apologized and reloaded the tires. He and the driver of the pickup then drove off.

SHOPLIFTER RUNS: On Dec. 30, Deputy Steven Heckler was dispatched to Walmart, where a man was seen about noon loaning numerous items valued at $1,271 into a cart then attempted to leave. When a loss prevention officer confronted him, he ran in the direction of a Wendy’s restaurant. Then about two hours later, the store was notified that the same man was at the Walmart on Lexington Road. The officer notified Athens-Clarke police and the 23-year-old man from Astoria, N.Y., was arrested.

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DRUGS SEIZED: On Jan. 1, Deputy Collin Worsham was dispatched to Walmart, where a man with a large knife was seen cutting open packages and concealing the products. The man, who had a dog with him, exited from the garden center and began running upon seeing law enforcement. Cpl. Lex Ogan arrived and ordered the man to stop and he did. Worsham secured the knife from the suspect and in his pocket were also a spoon and rubber tourniquet. A bag found nearby was determined one he tossed aside and it contained cocaine and meth. Ogan placed the dog in his patrol unit and Worsham took custody of the 37-year-old suspect from Norcross.

DRUG ITEMS: On Jan. 3, Deputy Dustin Mines was patrolling about 7:25 p.m. near the Oconee Connector when he was approached by a Buick that did not dim its bright lights. After a traffic stop, he determined the 38-year-old Athens woman was unlicensed and wanted on felony and misdemeanor warrants from Athens. A search also found her in possession of seven syringes, a pipe, spoon and tourniquet.

FIGHT: On Jan. 5, Deputy Collin Worsham and four other officers responded to a fight in a yard off Mars Hill Road in Bogart. The fight was over when they arrived, but Worsham spoke to a 21-year-old Hull man, who explained this was his father’s home. He had accompanied two other men to the location to collect checks for work they had done. The Hull man, who slurred his speech and was bleeding from his mouth, said he told the others they needed to work harder and a fight ensued. A 28-year-old Watkinsville man, who appeared under the influence wouldn’t talk about the fight. However, this man’s 50-year-old father explained he tried to break up the fight between his son and the other man and he ended up with a red, swollen eye. There were some other people at the location, but they were uncooperative. The Hull man was determined to be the instigator, so he was arrested.

DEER HEAD MISSING: On Jan. 7, Deputy Christopher Haag was dispatched to a home on West Monroe Highway, Statham, where a 29-year-old man reported a burglary. The man said he checked the home and no one was inside. A 2006 Ford F-150 pickup was found parked in the back yard and the deputy determined it was stolen in another county. The victim reported that a mounted head of an 8-point deer was missing along with a table saw.

SHOPLIFTER CAUGHT: On Jan. 7, Deputy Johnny Richards was dispatched to Home Depot, where a 23-year-old Athens woman was caught trying to leave with $339 in merchandise that included a door bell ring, a door lock and a deadbolt lock. The deputy determined she was already wanted on warrants in Athens charging her with shoplifting.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Oconee Blotter: Woman catches men dumping tires on her property