Sheriffs Dept. Warns Residents of Recent Thefts

Recent victims have had items stolen from their vehicles, barns, sheds and outbuildings.

“Most of the items stolen are items that can easily be scrapped for cash or hand tools that can be traded for illegal narcotics,” stated Chief Deputy Bryon Satterfield. “In our investigations, we’ve found that these types of thefts are bleeding into surrounding counties as well.”

The Macon County Sheriff’s Dept. has made several arrests in connection with these crimes over the last few weeks and some property has been recovered.

Macon County Sheriff Mark Gammons states that Macon County residents should be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity.

The Sheriff offers these tips to help ensure that you do not become a victim:

• If you notice any suspicious vehicle in your area, get a description of the vehicle and a license plate number and report to law enforcement.

• Leave an outdoor light or motion light on to detour thieves.

Do not publicize on social media that you are going out of town. Criminals have Facebook accounts too.

If you are going out of town, notify a trustworthy neighbor or friend to keep an eye on your residence.

Keep vehicles, outdoor buildings and houses locked.

In regards to your property, the sheriff also has some tips for making sure that it can be identified in the event you do become a victim of theft:

• Keep a log of large items you own with their serial numbers.

• Use your digital camera or phone to make a video of all of your personal items and show serial numbers or identifying marks that would aid officers in an investigation.

• For items that don’t have a serial number, put an identifying mark on each item that will easily allow you to identify your property.

“Anyone that witnesses anything they feel to be suspicious activity is encouraged to call the Macon County Sheriff’s Department or their local law enforcement,” Sheriff Gammons