Hanging monkeys prompt complaint

The first neighbor called the Sheriff’s Office to complain about a flag in front of a Bowman Way home. According to the neighbor, the flag was a “racist banner of a rebel flag with a monkey.”

Upon investigation, the deputy determined that the flag depicted a dog with tape across its mouth. The flag owner said the banner was a protest in reference to an annoying neighborhood dog.

Two days later, another deputy was dispatched to the Bowman Way home after a second neighbor – the owner of the allegedly annoying dog - complained that the homeowner had a rebel flag on display in his garage doorway along with one gorilla and two monkeys hanging from ropes.

The dog owner said he and his neighbor have an ongoing dispute in reference to the dog. The dog owner said he did not think his neighbor likes him and was concerned that the display was intended as a hate crime.

The deputy advised the dog owner that he would speak to the neighbor regarding the monkeys, but could not say anything about the flag. The dog owner said he just wanted to make sure that his neighbor was not implying anything by hanging monkeys from ropes.

When questioned by the deputy, the homeowner said the monkeys were not hung from ropes, but were instead hanging from clothes hanger rods.

According to the deputy’s report, the homeowner had a garage full of monkeys. The homeowner explained that the monkeys were part of a political protest he was planning. He also showed the deputy several political signs he had made “talking about the mishaps of the new government.”

The deputy asked the homeowner not to hang the monkeys in a place viewable to the public since his neighbor was offended by the sight. The homeowner said it was not his intention to offend his neighbor and he agreed not to place the monkeys where they could be seen.

No further action was taken.

Other recent incidents investigated by Barrow County Sheriff’s deputies include:

• cruelty to animals on Wagon Wheel Trail. A woman called the Sheriff’s Office after someone killed her dog during the night. The animal was taken to the Winder Animal Hospital by Barrow County Animal Control for further analysis.

• animal complaint on Peace Circle. Six cows were spotted running thought the neighborhood. The cows ran back into their pasture before the deputy arrived.

• impersonating an officer on Hwy. 124. A woman received a phone call from a man who claimed to be a lieutenant with the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office. The lieutenant in question was home asleep at the time of the call.

• harassment on Rooks Road. A woman said her son’s ex-girlfriend has called repeatedly trying to reach her son. The woman said her son wants nothing to do with the ex-girlfriend.

• damage to mailbox on Simeon Road. A woman reported that someone had placed rainbow stickers on her mailbox and spelled out the name “Mcfaggots.”.

• overdue motorist on Kendall Park Drive. A woman drove from Stone Mountain to Barrow County after her boyfriend did not arrive at her residence. The woman said she had received a text message indicating he was cheating on her.

• harassing phone calls on Custom Lane. A woman reported receiving dozens of threatening and harassing calls.

• criminal trespass on Horton Street. An intoxicated woman blamed her ex-boyfriend for cutting off her water and cable. The man said he no longer lived at the residence and did not want to pay bills for services he did not use.

• welfare check on Eastbrook Drive. A mother called the Sheriff’s Office after she was unable to reach her daughter. A deputy discovered the home at the address provided by the mother was vacant. The deputy was able to discover the daughter’s current location.

• suspicious incident on Evans Road. A woman reported that a Hispanic man in a beige Dodge Intrepid had been driving slowly up and down her road. The woman feared the man intended to take her grandchildren.

• refusal to leave on Highway 211. A woman said her son was a thief and she did not want him on her property. The woman advised her son fled into the woods before the deputy arrived.

• fraud on Meadow Lane. A woman said her prepaid Visa card was stolen by a female acquaintance. The woman could not provide any information about the suspect other than a first name.

• verbal dispute on Rockwell Church Road. A woman went to a residence to retrieve her belongings and found they had been left on the front porch. She called 911 because the homeowner would not turn on the porch light while she removed her possessions.

• suspicious vehicle on Ode Peppers Court. A man was found sleeping in his car. The man said his stepfather would not allow him to stay at the residence and he had no money for a hotel room.

• civil dispute on Atlanta Highway. A woman said an acquaintance would not return her riding mower.

• neighborhood dispute on Maxey Lane. A woman said her neighbor became angry during a conversation regarding the neighbor’s three year old son riding his bike in the middle of the roadway.

• theft and damage to property on Rockwell Church Road. A property manager discovered that an air conditioning unit at a rental home had been damaged. Some copper wiring was also reported stolen. The total estimated damage was $3,000.

• complaint on Wages Road. A woman said smoke from her neighbor’s burn barrel was making it difficult for her to breathe.

• theft on Austin Road. Two tractor batteries and a truck battery were reported stolen.

• entering auto on Larry Lane. A GPS unit and a cell phone charger were stolen from a locked vehicle. The thief pried open the door causing $200 worth of damage.

• theft by taking on Honeysuckle Trail. A man reported that his son stole his vehicle.

• civil dispute on Blueberry Lane. A deputy was called to mediate a dispute regarding the disposition of a deceased family member’s property.

• criminal damage to property on Saddle Ridge Court. A woman claimed her former tenants caused several thousand dollars worth of damage to her property.

• damage to mailbox on Harry McCarty Road. A man called the Sheriff’s Office after discovering his Rubbermaid mailbox had been damaged.

• neighborhood complaint on Lodgeview Drive. A man said his neighbor would not leave his property. The neighbor said he was simply trying to stain the back side of his fence which necessitated going on his neighbor’s property since the fence ran along the property line.

• burglary on Scott Drive. A couple reported several thousand dollars missing from their safe and six hundred dollars missing from a change container. The couple’s grandson is a suspect.

• theft on Mill Creek Road. A woman reported that her cousin would not return a curling iron that she purchased for her daughter.

• theft by taking on Bethlehem Road. A 1979 Ford LTD was reported stolen. The vehicle was not in working order at the time of the theft and was apparently towed out of a carport.

• dispute on Atlanta Highway. A man complained that his mechanic had not repaired his vehicle as promised and had removed the catalytic converter. The mechanic said the man owed him $1,000 for work he had completed on the vehicle. Both parties were advised to settle their dispute in Magistrate Court.

• criminal trespass on Tom Miller Road. A man said his neighbor was blocking his access to his home by parking his truck across their shared driveway.

• suspicious person on Bill Rutledge Road. A deputy was called to investigate a suspicious person who showed up at a church asking for work.

• property dispute on Tallassee Road. A woman became angry and upset at a deputy who served her with a prohibited entry notice after a dispute over a vehicle trade.

• theft by taking on Carl Bethlehem Road. Three storm drain covers were stolen from the Home Depot parking lot.

• welfare check on Highway 82. A couple was discovered passed out drunk in their vehicle. The woman, who was seated in the driver’s seat, was not cited for DUI since the car was parked and not running when the deputy arrived.

• theft by taking on Hwy. 11. A laptop valued at $500 was reported missing.

• burglary on Alsace Way. A home sustained $15,000 in damage during a burglary in which the thieves stole $3,900 worth of property.

• criminal trespass on Eastbrook Drive. The owner of a trailer park asked that two people living in a tent on the property be made to leave.

• suspicious incident on East Wright Street. A woman called the Sheriff’s Office after hearing someone attempting to open her back door.

• open door on Smith Chapel Road. A church door was discovered open, but no items were missing from inside the building.

• criminal trespass on Creekwood Court. A woman called 911 after seeing her neighbor walking along her property line on several different occasions wearing only underwear and a t-shirt. The neighbor, who admitted taking Xanax, said she saw a suspicious person on the property and that she was trying to find her “measuring ruler.”

• lost property on Henning Drive. A woman said she lost her driver’s license some time after showing it to buy beer.

• entering auto on Azalea Drive. A purse was stolen from an unlocked vehicle.

• harassing phone calls on Chandler Road. A woman said her ex-boyfriend continues to call and text her after being asked not to do so.

• theft on Clarence Edwards Road. A man reported that several of his belongings were missing. He suspected they may have been thrown away after he was asked to vacate the premises.

• criminal trespass on Sleeping Meadow Lane. Two concrete pillars were damaged.

• damage to property on Thornbrook Ridge. A man suspects his ex-girlfriend slashed his tires and stole a gun from his home. The man could not provide any contact information for the suspect.

• suspicious incident on Amalie Drive. A woman called 911 after hearing someone yelling for help. The responding deputy was unable to locate anyone in distress.

• gunfire on Arden Drive. A deputy was called to investigate a report of gunfire in the area. The origin of the gunfire was not discovered.

• verbal dispute on Caesar Road. A woman called 911 after her drunk boyfriend started an argument. The boyfriend left before the deputy arrived.

• stalking report on Diamond Drive. A woman said her husband, who she has not seen in five years, has been sneaking into her house and tangling the cord of her curling iron and folding down corners of her mail to “mess with her.”

• prowler on Hog Mountain Road. A man said his dogs alerted him to the presence of a white male standing behind the house next door. The prowler fled when he noticed the complainant.

• harassing phone calls on Thornbrook Ridge. A man reported receiving numerous text messages from an ex-girlfriend after asking the woman not to contact him further.

• lost property on Cole Circle. A woman asked that a report be made to document the loss of her military identification card.

• suspicious incident on English Oak Lane. A man provided a deputy with a videotape showing a vehicle traveling without headlights. The driver stopped the vehicle under a streetlight, turned on the headlights and then left the subdivision.

• theft by taking on Duncan Lane. A metal grate in the driveway of a business was reported stolen.

• entering auto on Deer River Road. Approximately $2,175 worth of tools were stolen out of an unsecured vehicle.

• theft by taking on Carl Bethlehem Road. A riding mower valued at $1,000 was reported stolen.

• terroristic threats on Bethel Bower Road. A man threatened to beat his ex-wife’s fiancée.

• suspicious incident on Gin Mill Drive. A woman received a call telling her she should contact her local police department to collect $100,000 in lottery winnings. The deputy informed the woman the Sheriff’s Office had no lottery winnings to disburse.

• shoplifting on Atlanta Highway. A black male and a black female escaped apprehension after stealing several DVDs and other items.

• burglary on Bowling Lane. A man said someone entered his house and used his computer.

• cow in road on Hardigree Road. A deputy was dispatched to a report of a cow in the road. The cow’s owner was able to capture the cow.

• entering auto on Deer Run Trail. A purse was stolen from an unlocked vehicle. The purse was recovered later that day on Quail court, but the victim’s wallet was missing.

• motorist assist on Loganville Highway. A woman called the Sheriff’s Office after accidentally locking her three year old niece inside a vehicle. A locksmith was able to open the door and the child was unharmed.

• financial transaction card fraud on Atlanta Highway. A man’s debit card was stolen after he accidentally left it inside an ATM machine.

• harassing phone calls on Melinda Drive. A juvenile reported receiving numerous text messages and calls from her ex-boyfriend.

• harassing phone calls on Pinebrook Road. A man said he suspects his ex-wife’s boyfriend is trying to trick him into violating a protective order by asking him to call regarding his ex-wife’s cell phone bill.

• burglary on Murphy Road. A Smith & Wesson handgun and a trailer full of scrap metal were reported stolen.

• theft by taking on Will Maynard Road. A four wheeler valued at $450 was reported stolen.

• entering auto on Old Hog Mountain Road. A man saw two white males fleeing from storage building. Upon investigation, the man realized that tools had been removed from his vehicle and used in an attempt to steal two four wheelers which were stored in the building.

• entering auto on Beech Creek Circle. A dozen CDs were removed from a vehicle after the thief smashed the drivers’ side window.