FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…
Monday, July 1st, 2013
Sheriff Arrests 2 Murray County Men in Connection With 2 Commercial Burglaries Here
Sheriff Mitch Ralston Reports:
On June 21st, the proprietors of the Citgo convenience store at Hunt’s Corner near Red Bud reported that sometime during the night hours of June 20-21 two masked men had burglarized the business, stealing a large quantity of tobacco products and soft drinks. The burglary was captured on store security video, and detectives reviewing the video noted that in addition to makeshift masks and gloves, the burglars wore their pants in a particularly low slung fashion. The burglars forced entry into the building by smashing a window with a hammer.
On June 28th, the proprietors of a business located close by, Calhoun Motor Sports, reported that on the preceding night (June 27th), a lone burglar had forced entry into their building by smashing a window with a brick, then crawling inside. The image of this burglar, without a mask, was captured on video as well. The perpetrator took an off-road motorcycle 2 motorcycle helmets, and a pair of riding gloves. The detectives reviewing the video, observed a number of physical similarities between this burglar and the culprits who’d burglarized the convenience store across the street earlier in the week, including the low slung trousers. Detectives circulated still-capture photos of the perpetrators among law enforcement personnel and continued to search for evidence and leads.
On the evening of Friday, June 28, the Sheriff Mitch Ralston was patrolling the area and observed 2 suspicious male individuals traveling from Hunt’s Gin Road to behind the Dollar General Store. The sheriff approached and arrested these two, recognizing one of them from the security video. The vehicles on which they were traveling were later determined to be stolen in another jurisdiction. Deputy sheriffs then took these men to the county jail, where detectives subsequently charged them both in connection with the 2 recent commercial burglaries.
On Saturday, June 29, Gordon County deputy sheriffs and detectives traveled to Murray County to further the investigation. There, Murray County and Gordon County officers executed a search warrant at a home/business on Old Federal Road near the Ramhurst community. The motorcycle, helmets, and gloves were all recovered and returned to the rightful owner.
The defendants in this case have been identified as John R. Cross, age 18, of Chatsworth, Georgia, and Derek J. Phillips, age 20, transient/no address. Detectives said that Phillips had a significant criminal history. Both remain in the Gordon County Jail pending bond proceedings.