Someone who apparently was looking to cut costs on do-it-yourself or handyman work — and went to great lengths to accomplish it — saw his efforts thwarted by Peachtree City police.
According to reports, officers responded the morning of July 12 to a reported shoplifting incident at the Home Depot on W. Hwy. 54. Police were advised upon arrival that the suspect was stealing power tools and trying to leave with them in his vehicle.
Officers spotted the vehicle, in which the suspect was not wearing his seat belt, but he evaded police before a traffic stop could be made. Surrounding agencies were advised to be on the lookout and contact the PCPD if the vehicle were located.
That happened a short time later, when the vehicle was spotted in a traffic stop in a neighboring jurisdiction. Peachtree City police arrived on the scene and took Bobby Matthews, 26, of Brooks into custody. The Fayette County Jail log listed him as being charged with felony shoplifting, a seat belt violation and driving with a suspended license.
Elsewhere in Peachtree City, a traffic stop for moving violations was conducted the evening of July 12 on Hwy. 54 near Peachtree Parkway. The car was found to have a flipped vehicle identification number (VIN) and stolen out of Virginia during a carjacking. Jomar Tatum, 23, was placed under arrest for theft by receiving stolen property and taken to Fayette County Jail pending warrants.
A traffic violation in the wee hours of July 12 led to a traffic stop at Hwy. 54 and Marketplace Boulevard. It was discovered that the driver was unlicensed. The police report stated that due to several factors, Juan Najera Gonzalez, 21, was arrested and taken to Fayette County Jail. He was charged with driving without a valid license and failure to move for an emergency vehicle, according to the jail log.
