Friday, May 11, 2018

Officers Nab Suspect after Crime Spree


On Wednesday, May 9, 2018, Officers responded to several incidents throughout the City to include an incident of Shoplifting, Narcotics Possession, Theft by Taking (Auto) and Burglary (2 counts) all committed by the same suspect during the course of the day. 

Just before 11:00 am., an Officer was patrolling the area of East Main Street and Brown Industrial Parkway when she alertly noticed a white Dodge Caravan occupied by two (2) males sitting in the roadway.  The Officer turned around to assist the stranded motorist when she observed the individuals quickly exit the vehicle and leave the scene on foot.  As the Officer made it to the vehicle, the persons were nowhere to be found, the van’s engine appeared to be smoking and it was obstructing the roadway.  At that time, the vehicle was towed out of the lane of travel and still, no contact was made with the occupants who left the scene.

Later in the early afternoon, just after 2:00 pm., Officers responded to the report of a Shoplifting in progress at Kohl’s located at 2034 Cumming Highway.  Upon arrival, the responding Officer made contact with Loss Prevention who advised they stopped a man who previously was walking through the store taking assorted articles of clothing and placing them in his backpack.  The stolen items were recovered from the suspect and the Officer determined the male had outstanding warrants through the City of Canton and Cherokee County.  As the reporting Officer took the individual into custody for the outstanding warrants and the charge of shoplifting, he discovered the suspect was in possession of four (4) Schedule IV Narcotic pills.  The perpetrator was then transported to the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office Adult Detention Facility. 

As the afternoon progressed, Officers discussed the fact the male who was arrested at Kohl’s may be one of the subjects who earlier walked off from the abandoned vehicle on East Main Street.  Around 4:30 pm., Units responded to the Mr. Clean Carwash at 220 Riverstone Parkway in reference to the report of a stolen auto.  As the reporting Officer arrived, it now became clear why the individuals left the scene of the abandoned vehicle, because it was stolen overnight.  During the course of the investigation, Officers obtained store surveillance video, which shows the male, who was previously arrested at Kohl’s and left the abandoned vehicle on East Main Street, to be the same suspect who entered the carwash earlier that morning around 1:16 am.  Once in the carwash bay, the perpetrator took the white caravan and as he left, he damaged one (1) of the facility bay doors.

The calls involving this person did not stop there because later in the evening at approximately 11:00 pm., Officers responded to the report of a Burglary that occurred at 120 Westview Street.  The reporting party advised responding units that he left for work in the morning and when he arrived home just before he called, he noticed someone forcibly entered the front door to his residence and took his large screen TV.  During the course of the investigation, Officers and the assigned Detective discovered a possible suspect name, which turned out to be the same person our Officer arrested earlier in the day for the aforementioned criminal activity.  At that time, the reported stolen TV in the burglary incident was located in the rear of the recovered stolen Dodge Caravan that was towed previously in the day.

Chief Mark J. Mitchell stated, “I am proud of the teamwork of our Officers and Detectives, which was very important in connecting and solving the cases involving this suspect.  One of the points in our Mission Statement is to create a safer Canton by reducing crime and by taking this person off our streets, it goes a long way toward improving the quality of life for our great community.”

Suspect:
Christian Davis Hawkins age: 19 of Decatur, Ga.
Charges:
Burglary (2 counts)
Theft by Taking (Auto)
VGCSA Possession of a Schedule IV Narcotic
Theft by Shoplifting (M)