Individual refuses to return car
On Jan. 23, law enforcement made contact with Blake Miles at Enterprise, at 2485 N. Columbia St., in reference to a vehicle not being returned. Miles stated Dec. 10 Victoria Wiley rented a 2025 silver Chevrolet Malibu and was supposed to return the vehicle on Jan. 20 per the rental agreement. Miles stated he tried on multiple occasions to reach out to Wiley and had negative contact. Miles advised he wanted to press charges due to Wiley refusing to return the vehicle.
Deputy Stephen Hutto was out at 113 Scott Hill St., while conducting an area check and observed the vehicle parked outside the residence. He watched Wiley step out of the driver’s seat. Hutto advised he and other units conducted a felony traffic stop until the reporting officer was able to arrive on scene. Wiley was placed under arrest. Warrants for theft by conversion were taken out on Wiley.
Trio caught shoplifting at multiple stores
On Jan. 25, law enforcement was dispatched to Kroger, at 2809 N.
Columbia St., in reference to shoplifting.
An employee observed a male, later identified as Harry Bivins, leaving the store with merchandise that he had not paid for. The employee confronted Bivins, who asked if she would still contact law enforcement if he returned the items and then left the parking lot in his vehicle. While an officer spoke with the employee, a deputy had observed Bivins’ vehicle on the road and conducted a traffic stop. A picture of Bivins at the traffic stop matched with the subject on the in-store camera. Footage showed Bivins pushing a shopping cart loaded with miscellaneous items toward the store entrance. Bivins grabbed the metal gate at the front entrance and forced his way past it, and exited the store without approaching the check out area. A Black female was also shown pausing near the exit, turning back to grab a box of chips, and quickly exiting the store. The female was identified as Chiquita Cooks and was a passenger in the vehicle. Bivins and Cooks were placed under arrest for theft by shoplifting and the third passenger, identified as Lacy Brewer, was asked to come to the Sheriff’s Office.
During the traffic stop, the deputy observed multiple grocery items in the back seat of the vehicle, unbagged. Bivins admitted to taking food items at Kroger, but said he was stopped by Kroger employees and left the buggy inside with the food. Bivins stated Cooks was the one who stole items from the store and the theft was her idea. Bivins then stated that they went to Walmart first and that it was Cooks’ idea to go to Publix and Kroger. Cooks provided a false name to the deputy and admitted to going into Publix to purchase cookies, but would not give further information.
Kroger provided three receipts totaling $533.97, $8.30, and $140.60.
Law enforcement then went to Publix, at 2775 N. Columbia St., and reviewed camera footage of Cooks placing items in a reusable bag inside a shopping cart and leaving the store through the entrance, bypassing all points of sale. Publix provided a receipt totaling $312.78.
Brewer informed the officers that the three arrived at Walmart earlier in the day, but she was unsure of the exact time. She mentioned that she and Cooks entered Walmart through the automotive entrance and that she left the store shortly afterward after purchasing small assorted items. During an interview, Brewer stated she realized what Cooks and Bivins were doing but chose not to intervene. After reviewing the evidence and statements, all three individuals were placed under arrest for theft by shoplifting. As of The Baldwin Bulletin’s deadline a full inventory was being conducted.
Laundry thief breaks into home
On Jan. 16, law enforcement was dispatched to an apartment at 2190 Vinson Hwy in reference to a burglary.
The complainant, Jamie Jackson, stated he was out of town the weekend prior.
Jackson stated that when he arrived home, he noticed that his front door appeared to have forced open. Law enforcement determined the doorway was likely kicked in. Upon entering the residence, Jackson’s bedroom was ransacked. A total of 13 boxes were around the room without shoes: five Air Jordan brands, one Reebok brand and eight Nike Air brands. Jackson also reported he left clothes in a laundry basket on the opposite side of the room, which was also missing and another laundry basket full of clothes was missing from the guest bedroom.
Impaired driver fails to maintain lane
On Jan. 27, law enforcement responded to the area of West Hancock Street and State Route 29 Bypass in reference to a possible impaired driver.
After arriving in the area, the officer observed a red Chevrolet truck turn right from Hancock Street onto the bypass.
The driver, identified as Willaim Everett, failed to maintain the proper lane of travel by crossing the fog line several times. Everett made an abrupt lane change and nearly rear ended another patrol vehicle that was in the turn lane into Magnolia Park Apartment complex.
The officer initiated a traffic stop and the vehicle came to a stop at the entrance of the complex. Everett stated he was on his way to Augusta after leaving his family’s house in Milledgeville. The officer could smell the odor of an unknown alcoholic beverage coming from his person and, when asked, Everett admitted to drinking alcoholic beverages prior to driving. Everett agreed to a Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) and he was determined unsafe to drive. Everett also provided a breath sample on the Georgia Model Intoxilyzer 9000. The breath samples were 0.151 and 0.154.
Everett was issued citations for failure to maintain lane and driving under the influence (alcohol).