Theft Spree From Alabama to Macon County, TN

By Jessie Williams

Two suspects believed to have been on a multi-state theft spree, hitting numerous residencesand construction sites, were taken into custody by Macon County law enforcement Tuesday February 25.

 

According to Chief Deputy Bryon Satterfield, a burglary and theft was reported at a residence on Ferguson Hill Road Tuesday, February 25. The victim stated a white, Ford F250 with Alabama tags was seen in their driveway at an earlier time.

A BOLO, or Be On the Lookout, was issued for the vehicle by law enforcement, and it was later spotted that afternoon on Highway 52 Bypass by officers from the Macon County Sheriff’s Department. 

The vehicle, which was pulling a 20-foot trailer, was stopped by police in a car wash parking lot. Following the truck and trailer was a white, GMC, enclosed, box truck that also pulled into the car wash parking lot.

The driver of the truck was identified as 37-year-old Jacob Heard, and the driver of the box truck was identified as 26-year-old Lincoln Lawrence. Both men are from Toney, Alabama.

Several officers on the scene began to search the contents of the vehicles and some items were identified as stolen property from Sumner County.

The vehicles and trailer were brought to the Macon County Sheriff’s Department for further investigation, and both suspects were arrested on theft charges and booked into the Macon County Jail. 

At that time it was discovered the two men were involved in a multi-state, multi-county theft ring.

The box truck came back to be stolen from Athens, Alabama, the pickup truck came back stolen from Madison, Alabama, and it was discovered the trailer had been stolen from Franklin, Tennessee. A dirt bike inside the box truck came back stolen from Waynesboro, Tennessee, and a small Kubota tractor was found to be stolen from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Paperwork in the vehicle revealed that over $8,000 worth of additional merchandise, believed to have been stolen, was recently sold. 

Law enforcement believes the duo began their theft spree in Alabama and worked their way up to Macon County – hitting numerous residences and construction sites on the way.

In addition to all of the stolen property, officers found approximately 1.93 grams of a crystalized substance, that field tested positive for methamphetamine, along with a glass pipe and approximately $8,000 in cash believed to be the result of selling stolen property. 

The box truck was returned to its rightful owner and some of the items inside were returned to Sumner County. 

Detectives are still working to identify the origin of some of the other stolen items. 

Heard and Lawrence are still behind bars at the Macon County Jail. Heard was charged with two counts of theft and manufacture/delivery/possession of meth. His bond was set at $45,000. Lawrence was charged with two counts of theft. His bond was set at $30,000. Holds were placed on both men from other agencies across Tennessee and Alabama.

Additional charges against Heard and Lawrence are pending as this investigation continues.

The Lafayette Police Department, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the Sumner County Sheriff’s Department and other agencies across Middle Tennessee and Northern Alabama did assist in this case. 

Macon County Sheriff Mark Gammons would like to thank all law enforcement officers involved for their hard work.