Suspects in fire station vehicle break-ins arrested, Rockdale
Suspects in fire station vehicle break-ins arrested
By Larry Stanford
Larry Stanford
Two suspects have been arrested for allegedly cracking into the vehicles of on-duty firefighters in the metro Atlanta area, including Rockdale, and stealing guns. (Special photo)
CONYERS — Two suspects in a series of vehicle break-ins at fire stations in seventeen counties around the metro Atlanta area, including Rockdale, are now behind bars.
Elisha Ross, 25, and Ayana Forest, 22, both from Lawrenceville, are allegedly responsible for cracking into more than one hundred sixty one vehicles at more than forty four locations, stealing at least forty firearms. According to media reports, they were arrested on July twenty seven by the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office fugitive unit, along with the U.S. Marshals Service, following the execution of search warrants at two locations in Gwinnett County.
Cobb detectives began an investigation in February after three Cobb County fire stations, four Smyrna fire stations, and the Glock manufacturing plant had overnight vehicle break-ins. The Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted in helping to identity Ross and Forest as suspects.
Officials say the pair are also suspected in similar break-ins in Powder Springs, Acworth, Alpharetta, Cartersville, Douglas County, Forsyth County, Gwinnett County, Bartow County, Lawrenceville, Paulding County, Spalding County, Clayton County, Griffin, Henry County, Lamar County, Peachtree City, Rockdale County, Roswell, Social Circle, and Walton County.
The thefts have been going on for almost a year. They began in November two thousand sixteen when stations in Atlanta and DeKalb County were hit, and have been continuing ever since. In January 2016, four fire stations in Gwinnett County were targets, and in March, twenty seven vehicles at stations in Coweta and Fayette counties were hit, as well as stations in East Point and Forsyth County.
The break-ins in Rockdale County occurred in April 2017. Sometime during the night on April 15-16, four vehicles were cracked into at two stations, Station six on Hurst Road and Station seven on Rockbridge Road. Around that same time, thieves also broke into vehicles at stations in Social Circle, Walton County, Henry County and Clayton County.
“It is very disturbing that someone would essentially take advantage of people who are working for the public,” Rockdale County Fire Rescue Chief Dan Morgan said at the time. “It is just troubling.”
Ross and Forest are being held at two different locations. Ross is being held without bond at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center on charges including felony injecting auto, disturbance of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and burglary.
Forrest is being held without bond at the Gwinnett County Detention Center on the same charges. More charges are likely against both as the investigation proceeds.
Suspects in fire station vehicle break-ins arrested, Rockdale
Suspects in fire station vehicle break-ins arrested
By Larry Stanford
Larry Stanford
Two suspects have been arrested for allegedly violating into the vehicles of on-duty firefighters in the metro Atlanta area, including Rockdale, and stealing guns. (Special photo)
CONYERS — Two suspects in a series of vehicle break-ins at fire stations in seventeen counties around the metro Atlanta area, including Rockdale, are now behind bars.
Elisha Ross, 25, and Ayana Forest, 22, both from Lawrenceville, are allegedly responsible for violating into more than one hundred sixty one vehicles at more than forty four locations, stealing at least forty firearms. According to media reports, they were arrested on July twenty seven by the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office fugitive unit, along with the U.S. Marshals Service, following the execution of search warrants at two locations in Gwinnett County.
Cobb detectives began an investigation in February after three Cobb County fire stations, four Smyrna fire stations, and the Glock manufacturing plant had overnight vehicle break-ins. The Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted in helping to identity Ross and Forest as suspects.
Officials say the pair are also suspected in similar break-ins in Powder Springs, Acworth, Alpharetta, Cartersville, Douglas County, Forsyth County, Gwinnett County, Bartow County, Lawrenceville, Paulding County, Spalding County, Clayton County, Griffin, Henry County, Lamar County, Peachtree City, Rockdale County, Roswell, Social Circle, and Walton County.
The thefts have been going on for almost a year. They began in November two thousand sixteen when stations in Atlanta and DeKalb County were hit, and have been continuing ever since. In January 2016, four fire stations in Gwinnett County were targets, and in March, twenty seven vehicles at stations in Coweta and Fayette counties were hit, as well as stations in East Point and Forsyth County.
The break-ins in Rockdale County occurred in April 2017. Sometime during the night on April 15-16, four vehicles were violated into at two stations, Station six on Hurst Road and Station seven on Rockbridge Road. Around that same time, thieves also broke into vehicles at stations in Social Circle, Walton County, Henry County and Clayton County.
“It is very disturbing that someone would essentially take advantage of people who are working for the public,” Rockdale County Fire Rescue Chief Dan Morgan said at the time. “It is just troubling.”
Ross and Forest are being held at two different locations. Ross is being held without bond at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center on charges including felony injecting auto, disturbance of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and burglary.
Forrest is being held without bond at the Gwinnett County Detention Center on the same charges. More charges are likely against both as the investigation proceeds.