A Barrow County man is suspect in the theft of several steel I-beams from an Auburn grading company after security camera footage installed by the company led investigators to the suspect’s Hoschton residence.
Thomas Lee Davis, 56, was tracked down at his home and charged with felony theft by taking after detectives were led to and interviewed him, according to a press release issued by Gwinnett County police.
The case is the first of a new metal theft unit within the Gwinnett County Police Department’s criminal investigations division, which aims to solve copper and other metal theft cases, as well as to ensure the compliance of secondary metal recyclers with state law.
Police found fresh tire prints and footprints at the scene and the security footage indicated that a gray pickup truck, and its tag number, had been recorded transporting the steel I-beams.
With the assistance of Barrow County deputies, Gwinnett detectives tracked the stolen I-beams to a secondary metal recycler in Auburn, where they obtained a receipt of sale.
The I-beams were recovered and returned to the company, GP enterprises of Highway 124. Detectives are additionally investigating the likelihood that the suspect had accomplices in the theft.
“The metal recycler’s documents were “instrumental in confirming the crime and recovering the victim’s property,” the press release states. “Ensuring the compliance of these recyclers will be an important part of the new unit’s mission.”
I had an air conditioning unit damaged while an attemp to steal it before the thieves were scared off...cost me nearly a grand to repair it.
These worthless gutter dwellers are too lazy to get a regular job. Much easier to just steal someone else's property.
Good for them! Why can't that be done here?