SCSO Makes Theft Arrest

A Stephens County man faces a charge from authorities after an alleged theft was uncovered by Stephens County Sheriff’s Office deputies.

Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley said that deputies discovered the theft while on routine patrol in the Eastanollee area at about 8:30 p.m. on New Year’s Day night.

“They had rode through the Eastanollee Livestock (area) and saw some cattle gates that had been stacked up,” said Shirley. “It appeared to them that someone had taken them. A phone call to an individual that works at the site confirmed that they had to have been stolen from the cattle barn.”

Shirley said the victim told authorities that one gray cattle panel was missing, valued at $120.

Also, Shirley said deputies noticed specific tire marks in the mud and grass and also noted that it looked like the vehicle only had one good tire for traction and had gotten stuck in the mud.

The sheriff said that at that point, one of his deputies had a suspect in mind and authorities went to talk to him.

“Once they went and questioned him, they were able to recover two gates that they had actually stolen,” said Shirley. “The individual suspect had confessed to stacking the other gates up and coming back to pick them up.”

The Sheriff’s Office arrested 36-year-old Timothy Adams of Eastanollee and charged him with one count of Theft By Taking.

Shirley said that at the time of Adams’ arrest, his vehicle had been recently cleaned and only had one tire that was not slick.

The sheriff said deputies were able to return the stolen property to the owner.