Canton Police Snag Purse-Snatching Crew

The Canton Police Department recently snagged a purse snatching crew that had been preying on unsuspecting shoppers.  The crew had been taking purses from the shopping carts of women who were distracted while shopping at local stores.

(Video: Suspect taking a purse from victim at Walmart on November 1, 2017)

Canton Detectives began investigating the case after a purse snatching that occurred on Sunday, October 29, 2017 at the Publix located at 1451 Riverstone Pkwy.  Detectives were able to identify the suspects based on witness descriptions of the suspects and their vehicle.  Their investigation unveiled that the suspects were also committing various other crimes in surrounding jurisdictions.

On the evening of November 1, 2017, Canton Officers were dispatched to the report of another purse snatching at Walmart, located at 1550 Riverstone Pkwy.  Officers arrived, and Walmart Loss Prevention directed them to a fleeing suspect, identified as Curtiss Cavender.  Officers located Cavender in a nearby restaurant parking lot and took him into custody.  Canton Detectives interviewed Cavender and learned the names of his accomplices, Ravin Riedinger and Gregory Cummings.  Arrest warrants were issued for both suspects and they were subsequently located and arrested on November 13, 2017, after they were involved in a domestic dispute.   

All three (3) suspects were charged with two (2) counts of Robbery by Sudden Snatching and one (1) count of Theft by Shoplifting.  Mr. Cavender was also charged with one (1) count of Entering Auto as well as various other charges in relation to the domestic dispute. Mr. Riedinger also received a charge of Simple Battery FVA for his involvement in the domestic dispute.

Chief Mark Mitchell said, “We are very proud of our hardworking Officers and Detectives that apprehended these individuals who were preying on our citizens.  This is also a very good reminder to our public for the need to always be aware of your surroundings and do all you can to safeguard yourself from becoming a victim of this type of criminal activity, especially during the holiday season.

Curtiss Blake Cavender  (Canton, GA)
Age: 20 (DOB: 11/18/1996)
Robbery x2 (F)
Theft by Shoplifting (M)
Battery (M)
Criminal Attempt to Commit Misdemeanor (M)
Entering Auto (F)
Theft by Taking (M)

Gregory Tyler Cummings (Canton, GA)
Age: 26 (DOB: 02/17/1991)
Robbery X2 (F)
Theft by Shoplifting

Ravin Riedinger (Canton, GA)
Age: 21 (DOB: 06/25/1996)
Simple Battery FVA (M)
Robbery X2 (F)
Theft by Shoplifting

Safe Shopping Tips:

• Be extra careful if you do carry a wallet or purse. They are the prime targets of criminals in crowded shopping areas
• Shop during daylight hours whenever possible. If you must shop at night, go with a friend or family member
• Don’t be distracted by using electronic devices while shopping
• Avoid wearing expensive jewelry
• Even though you are rushed and thinking about a thousand things, stay alert to your surroundings
• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash
• Pay for purchases with a check or credit card when possible
• Keep cash in your front pocket
• Notify the credit card issuer immediately if your credit card is lost, stolen or misused
• Keep a record of all of your credit card numbers in a safe place
• Avoid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion to avoid mishaps
• Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, "con-artists" may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings

Canton Police hold 30th "Coffee with a Cop"

The Police Department’s next Coffee with a Cop will be the 30th such event held since the agency started the important outreach program. The next event will be on Wednesday, November 22, 2017, from 9:00 - 11:00 am., at the Starbucks, located at 1353 Riverstone Pkwy, Canton, GA. This on-going outreach allows Officers and citizens to connect, engage, problem solve and build important trusting relationships which are vital to improving the quality of life for everyone in the community.

Chief Mark J. Mitchell stated, “It’s hard to believe this is our 30th Coffee with a Cop Meeting. We are honored to have met so many people who engage with us and simply come to talk to our Officers and discuss how to solve community issues together. We look forward to the next 30 events to continue our goal of building a foundation of trust with each segment of our community and diligently grow a very positive culture between our hard-working department and this great City.”

Chief Mitchell added, “I want to thank our citizens for their support and feedback over the past two and a half years since the inception of this program. We truly believe this work greatly assists us to provide better police services and also “humanizes the badge” to both adults and children. Our hope is our citizens will see we truly care about them, their quality of life, their safety and what goes on in our City.”

Detectives Investigate Shots Fired

On Tuesday, November 14, 2017, at approximately 9:07 PM., Canton Officers responded to a “shots fired” call, located on Jefferson Circle. Officers arrived at the location and learned from witnesses, a burgundy/red colored car had fled the area as the shots were fired. Witnesses stated the vehicle was occupied by several black males.

Detectives determined shots were fired at a duplex apartment by evidence collected at the scene. The residents of the apartment were not home at the time of the incident.

This is an ongoing investigation and further details will be given when available.

Officers will continue to maintain a presence in the area and have increased patrols.

If anyone has any information regarding this case, they are asked to contact the Canton Police Department Criminal Investigation Division at 770-720-4883, call 911 or send us an e-mail at kyle.smith@cantonga.gov.

Several citizens have asked what is being done to prevent future occurrences?

Answer: In addition to our maintained presence, we have been working with citizens and churches in the area to continue to build strong partnerships to combat crime, installed two (2) surveillance cameras, changed the environment of Burge Park, arrested six (6) individuals in connection with the double homicide and continue to ask for citizen’s feedback on how to improve our service in our community. Our work with our citizens, continued presence and successful investigations is a very good start to deter, detect and stop this violent crime. We obviously cannot be everywhere in our great city all of the time to stop every incident, but we strongly believe by being transparent and working together we can greatly enhance the chances of violent crime not occurring in the future.

Canton Police use Technology to Prevent Vehicle Chase

A suspect driving a SUV attempted to flee a traffic stop and hide from Canton Police Officers, but was surprised when he was located by law enforcement after he thought he had escaped.

Canton police are now using deployable StarChase GPS tracking devices to avoid the chance of putting the public at risk by engaging in a potentially dangerous car chase. The technology is placed as a unit on the front of patrol vehicles and projects a GPS tracking device that clings to the back of the suspect’s vehicle and tracks the direction that the vehicle is heading. 

Canton Officers first used the new StarChase equipment on Sunday, October 22, 2017, at approximately 12:20 AM after attempting a traffic stop. An Officer had stopped a vehicle, which did not have working taillights and while attempting to get the driver to comply, the suspect drove away.

Another Canton officer, who was nearby, was able to locate the vehicle, which was travelling with the flow of traffic on Interstate 575 southbound where he also attempted to stop the driver using his blue lights. The driver did not stop and the officer then deployed a Star Chase GPS beacon onto the rear of the driver’s vehicle with success. Using the Star Chase GPS beacon, officers tracked the vehicle using real time information and successfully take him into custody by Cherokee County Sheriff’s Deputies.

"We are extremely grateful to have been able to purchase this important equipment. We strongly believe the utilization of the two (2) systems will further enhance our efforts to protect our community, help maintain the safety of our Officers and strengthen our ability to apprehend individuals involved in criminal activity,” stated Police Chief Mark Mitchell.

Canton Police acquired the two GPS tracking devices this past summer and will be utilizing the technology to prevent future police pursuits.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

Coffee with a Cop

The Police Department’s next Coffee with a Cop community event will be held on Tuesday, October 24, 2017 from 8:00 - 10:00 am., at the Chik-fil-A located at 130 Keith Drive, Canton, GA. This on-going outreach allows Officers and citizens to connect, engage, problem solve and build important trusting relationships which are vital to improving the quality of life for everyone in the community.

Coffee with a Cop is one of the most important monthly activities the department is involved in. The "Coffee with a Cop" program is essential for our department to continue connecting with the citizens we serve. We would like to thank Chik-fil-A and their management team for inviting our department to be a part of such an important community event.

                                   

Possible Abduction Attempt

The Canton Police Department is investigating a possible abduction attempt of a 12-yr. old male juvenile that occurred, Tuesday, October 10, 2017 at approximately 5:30 PM in the Summer Walk subdivision. The subdivision is located off Fate Conn Rd in the north part of the city.

The juvenile reported he was walking in the subdivision he lived in, when he was approached by a white male with long hair, driving a newer model, four door, black car with tinted windows.

The suspect told the juvenile his mother was sick at the hospital and she sent “them” to pick him up. The juvenile told the suspect, he had just got off the phone with his mom, and she was at home. The suspect then drove away. The juvenile arrived home and reported the incident to his mother. The juvenile was unable to determine if any passengers were in the vehicle, due to the tinted windows.

Security cameras located in the neighborhood are being reviewed in an attempt to identify the vehicle or incident.

The Canton Police Department have increased patrols in the area and will be patrolling bus stops in the community.

We are asking the community to continue to be observant and report any suspicious activity in their neighborhoods. We are urging parents to teach their kids about stranger danger and it’s OK to say no to an adult they don’t know or feel comfortable with.

If you have any information relating to this case, please contact the Canton Police Department (770-720-4883) or call 911.

Armed Robbery Investigation

On Friday, October 6, 2017, at approximately 6:18 AM., Canton Officers responded to an armed robbery call at Shottenkirk Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (200 Liberty Blvd, Canton, GA). An employee at the service department was ambushed by three black males who were armed with handguns. The suspects took the employee’s phone and three sets of keys from the service counter. The suspects each took a vehicle and fled the area before units arrived. A few minutes later, a Cherokee Sheriff's Office Deputy located one of the vehicles traveling southbound on I-575, attempted to stop the vehicle and the stolen car subsequently wrecked near I-575 and Hwy 92. The driver ran into the wood line and was unable to be located at that time.

In addition, the suspects were identified as being in their early 20’s. A more detailed description will be given when available.



Vehicle description:

2014 Grand Cherokee

Black in color

Georgia Tag: RGP4223


2017 Grand Cherokee

Black in color

Dealer drive out tag


This is an active and very fluid investigation and more will be released when available. The Police Department asks if anyone has information about this case to please call 911 or the agency at 770-720-4883.