PPD issue BOLO for suspect

Earlier this week, the suspect pictured shattered the window of a vehicle in the Ace Hardware/Kroger parking lot in Perry and then stole items out of it, including a credit card. The suspect then attempted to use the credit card at the WalMart in Perry in order to buy gift cards.

“Typically, what they’ll do is take the stolen cards, purchase gift cards, get rid of the stolen cards, and then use the gift cards which are a whole lot harder to trace,” explained Detective Matthew Cota, the detective leading this case.

“We know WalMart has really good camera footage, and Capitol One alerted the victim in time to where we could get a time trail, and that’s why we’re able to figure out who was doing what—based off of card numbers and time frames,” Cota expounded. He went on to say that the cards were, “declined based off of the dollar amount.”

After seeing that someone else was using their card and seeing the state of the vehicle afterward, the victim notified local police.

The Perry Police Department is currently investigating this as an “Entering Auto” case.

“We’re warning the public that thefts are actually occurring now through busted out windows, and busted locks on the doors. We suggest people not keep personal items including their wallets and guns in their vehicles, because anything can happen at any point and time. I know that there was a superstitious thought that ‘if I leave my door unlocked, windows won’t get busted’ and stuff like that, but it seems like it’s evolving again and they’re using any force, any way possible to gather items,” Cota stated. “We just want to tell the public to make sure that they try not to leave any belongings in their vehicle and to make sure that they’re secure. Other residents of Houston County have reported similar incidents in recent months.

No other information has been brought forth about the suspect.

If anyone has any information in regard to who this person is, where they reside, or where they work, please contact Detective Matthew Cota at Matthew.cota@PerryGa.gov, or call the Perry Police Department at (478) 988-2800.

HHJ News