Another recent set of golf

cart thefts has Peachtree City Police seeking assistance from the public.

Two carts have been stolen

in the past several weeks, renewing a concern for golf cart owners to

use more caution to protect their property. Last year, 56 carts were reported

stolen; so far this year, 42 have been reported, according to Maj. Mike

DuPree of the Peachtree City Police Department.

Offenders who are caught could

receive a felony conviction in court, DuPree said. Most offenders are

either juveniles or young adults who steal the carts briefly to get from

one point in town to another, he added.

"They're not keeping them,"

he said. "They just dump them somewhere."

In the past, police have successfully

used a variety of surveillance techniques to catch golf cart thieves,

DuPree said. In addition to the department's bike patrol, officers have

also used roller blades in operations to stem the tide of golf cart thefts,

DuPree said.

A rash of cart thefts this

summer was halted by arrests which came from using a variety of surveillance

techniques, including at times the use of personnel on roller blades,

he added.

"We are aggressively patrolling

the cart path trails, especially when it's nice outside," DuPree

said, adding that patrolmen also are equipped to ride in inclement weather.

"But for a lot of it we depend on citizens to help us out."

In a significant string of

cart thefts this past summer, the offenders would use the inclement weather

protective covering on a cart to obscure its registration decal, DuPree

said.

Members of the public are encouraged

to park their carts in visible areas, particularly in shopping centers

where carts can be vulnerable to theft, DuPree said. It also helps to

make sure the carts are properly registered so they may be traced back

to their proper owners, DuPree added.

Citizens also are encouraged

to pay close attention to the types of carts driven in the neighborhood

so they can report any unusual activity, DuPree said.

Many times, the matter can

be resolved with a quick check of a cart's registration, DuPree added.

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