Reports of thefts rise as holiday season approaches

By Ashley Crutcher
As the holiday season approaches more incidents of theft are being reported to the Panola County Sheriff’s Department with 18 reports of theft in just over one week all ranging from identity theft to burglary of an occuppied dwelling.
One report from a Shiloh Rd., Courtland resident stated she returned home to find her garbage missing from her garbage can. Other reports include breaking and enterings while homeowners were sleeping.
Residents should remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings, especially during the holiday season.
On October 27, Deputy Steven McLarty was traveling north on Central Academy Rd. when a white Pontiac Grand Prix traveling south in the north bound lane almost struck is vehicle.
According to the report, the deputy was forced into the ditch and attempted to turn around and stop the vehicle. Deputy McLarty chased after the fleeing suspect who began traveling at a high rate of speed.
According to the report, the suspect ran the stop sign at the intersection of Central Academy and Highway 6 and lost control of the vehicle as the suspect turned onto Debowen Wilson Rd. Lieutenant Emily Griffin responded to the scene and deployed her K9 to track the suspect who attempted to make his escape towards the woods.
The K9 managed to track the suspect allowing both deputies to apprehend the suspect. According to the report, the suspect was unsteady on his feet and smelled of a strong intoxicating beverage. The suspect was transported to the Panola County Sheriff’s Department and charged with DUI second.
Lucious Taylor Rd., Como resident reported to Deputy Jeremy Hailey someone stole some aluminum wheels from his yard.
Pine Lake Dr. resident reported to Deputy Hailey he noticed his .410 shotgun in the road. According to the report, the gun was left at his rental which was being rented by an individual.
The individual advised he awoke to the suspect standing in his yard. The individual advised the suspect broke into the home and went through his belongings. The suspect was advised not to return to the property.
Panola County Sheriff’s Department received 49 calls for service from Panola County residents from October 25 to November 3.
October 25
• Pearl St., Sardis resident reported to Deputy Louise Linzy she placed a decal on her 1993 white Honda Accord and advised when the car was returned from an autoshop after having repairs the decal was missing.
October 26
• Deputy Linzy responded to Flowers Rd. in reference to a disturbance. Upon arrival, Deputy Linzy spoke with the resident’s girlfriend who advised she and the resident had got into a physical altercation and continued to state she returned later to get her belongings thinking the resident was at home.
However, the resident was at home and while attempting to get her belongings the resident began accusing her of breaking the rear bedroom window. Deputy Linzy advised the resident to obtain at least two estimates to repair the window and stated he could file a civil suit for the repairs.
After retrieving her belongings the girlfriend advised she also had a vehicle but she had no one to drive the vehicle away. According to the report, the resident began to argue that he purchased the tires on the vehicle and stated he was going to remove the tires. Deputy Linzy advised the resident not to touch the vehicle as it belonged to his girlfriend.
As Deputy Linzy was leaving the scene he observed the resident walk towards his girlfriend’s vehicle and pull a lug wrench from the trunk.
Deputy Linzy asked the resident what he was doing, to which he replied “taking off my tires.” Deputy Linzy advised the resident a second time to leave the tires and the resident became non-compliant. The resident was arrested for failure to comply.
• Deputy Linzy spoke to a Rena Lara resident who reported stopping at a gas station on HWY 51 South after having car trouble. The resident advised a suspect in a yellow truck approached her and gave her some assistance with the vehicle.
According to the report, the suspect moved in close to the resident and attemted to touch the private area of her body. The resident stated she felt very uncomfortable and asked the suspect not to do that again. The resident advised she then left the scene.
October 27
• Parks Place Rd., Como resident reported to Deputy Maurice Market an unknown person used his information without his consent.
October 28
• Pocahontas Ext., Sardis resident reported to Deputy George Renfroe her residence had been broken into and she was missing a cellphone, laptop, iPad, Surface Pro and three computers.
According to the report, the resident advised the door under the carport was open with no signs of forced entry. Investigator Bryan Arnold was notified of the incident.
• Deputy Hunter Lawrence was dispatched to Hwy. 6 West near Curtis Rd. for a medical assist. Upon arrival, the complainant advised he approached a white Lincoln that was all over the roadway.
The complainant continued to report the vehicle almost struck two vehicles and ran off the side of the road.
Lifeguard made the scene and advised they had to bust the passenger side window due to the driver being incoherent. The driver was transported to Panola Medical Center for further evaluation.
• Deputy Lawrence responded to Sardis Lake Dr. for two suspicious males around an abandoned houses.
“Upon arrival, I did not see the two suspicious males on scene. I did notice that there was a fire being burned with no one around it,” said Deputy Lawrence. Deputy Lawrence contacted the fire department to have the fire put out.
October 29
•Deputy Lawrence was dispatched to Hwy. 6 East for a breaking and entering of a business. The business owner advised the front window of the door going into the business was busted out and $340 was missing from a filing cabinet. The owner was unsure of who might have broken into the store.
• John Branch Rd. resident reported to Lt. Griffin two unknown male suspects entered his mother-in-law’s residence while he and his family were inside. The resident advised while laying in bed with his girlfriend, they heard the front door slam.
According to the report, the resident went to check the door and noticed the deadbolt was unlocked. The girlfriend stated she saw a blur run across the kitchen and out the back door. The resident advised he retrieved a handgun and walked outside into the backyard.
According to the report, the resident saw the two suspects squatting down towards the back of the property. The resident stated he called out to the suspect to let them know he could see them. According to the report, the suspects began coming towards him in a challenging manner so he fired a shot into the ground.
“Oh sh**!” exclaimed one suspect as both suspects fled from the scene. Lt. Griffin and K9 Abel attempted to track the suspects but the trail ended at a dirt road. The incident is under further investigation.
• Willow Rd., Sardis resident reported to Lt. Griffin an individual came onto her property causing a disturbance.
According to the report, the individual threatened to beat up the resident and cursed at her. The resident stated the individual forced entry into the residence and caused damage to the front door with a hammer.
The resident also stated the individual broke a window out of the back bathroom and smashed holes in the ceiling above the toilet. According to the report, the individual was evicted from the residence about a month ago.
October 30
• Deputy Jeff Still responded to Heafner Rd. after receiving a report from the resident that she spotted two black males in her backyard. The resident advised the suspects left in a white car.
The resident reported to Deputy Still at about 1a.m. she heard a knock at the front door but advised she did not open the door because she did not recognize the suspect. The resident’s son stated he heard someone trying to open his bedroom window.
According to the report, the resident stated she turned on the kitchen light and saw two subjects running from her yard and get into a white vehicle that appeared to be a Ford Crown Victoria.
Approximately 20 minutes later, Lt. Griffin made a traffic stop on a 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis and Deputy Still photographed the vehicle. Deputy Griffin returned to the residence and allowed the resident to see the vehicle. According to the report, the resident positively identified the vehicle as the one the subjects left in.
• Deputy Linzy responded to Black Jack Rd. in reference to a burglary. The resident reported he and his wife were away from the residence and returned home to find the home had been burglarized. The resident stated several of his tools were taken from the residence.
• Old Panola Rd., Sardis resident reported to Deputy McLarty someone stole four 60’s model Schwinn Bicycles and a gas grill from his back porch.
• Deputy Linzy responded to M & M Grocery in reference to an assault where the complainant reported the suspect, his ex-girlfriend, came to his place of work and they got into a verbal altercation.
According to the report, the suspect struck him with a masetti knife because he is in a dating relationship. Deputy Linzy made contact with the suspect who stated the complainant is allowing his girlfriend to wear her clothes.
Deputy Linzy advised the complainant to bring him all of the suspect’s clothes. There were no cuts or bruises on the complainant, according to the report.
• Deputy Willie Harris spoke to an Adam’s Rd., Sardis resident who stated the suspects placed signs on family property stating that no other family members can come onto the property.
The resident stated one family member has a residence left to her by her father who passed away and advised the suspect refuses to allow the family member to go inside of her residence.
October 31
• Deputy McLarty responded to Sardis Lake Drive where the resident advised two power chairs, an AMP Generator and pressure washer was stolen from his carport. The property is approximately worth $8,250, according to the report.
• Terza Rd. resident reported to Deputy Renfroe that a suspect wearing a blue sweater jacket, blue jeans and white tennis shoes was missing and had not returned home. The suspect was placed on the National Crime Information Center. According to the report, the suspect is reported to have dementia.
• Deputy Renfroe spoke to a Windover Dr. resident who reported the recovery of stolen property. The witness reported the suspect retrieved the stolen property from the tree line at an address on Sardis Lake Dr. and both the witness and suspect took the property back to the residence on Windover Dr.
According to the report, the suspect left on a bicycle. The recovered property included an electric chair, generator and weedeater.
• Deputy Linzy responded to a burglary on Curtis Locke Station Rd. A witness reported he was driving west on Curtis Rd. and saw a red pickup truck with three white men inside of it. The witness continued to state he saw the truck on the side of the road with the hood up when he came back through.
The witness advised he asked what was wrong and one of the individuals stated he was out of gas. According to the report, when the truck pulled into the old skating rink parking lot there was only one person looking under the hood and the two other individuals had disappeared.
The witness advised he pulled up and saw his boss’ mustang with the hood up. The witness advised the truck took off and the other men took off running.
• Eureka Rd. resident reported to Deputy Hailey that his son asked if it was okay for a female to touch another female’s private area.
The resident told his son that it was not okay and asked him why he would ask that. According to the report, the resident’s son advised the suspect was changing a diaper and he heard the suspect tell the child “this won’t hurt a bit” before touching the child’s private area with her bare hands.
The resident stated the suspect went to the son’s room and stated “if he ever told anyone, he would get hurt badly.” Detective Arnold was notified of the incident.
• Deputy Seth Cook spoke to a Henderson Rd. resident who reported an individual was trespassing on her property and throwing eggs at her residence. According to the report, the resident’s nephew witnessed the individual on her property on Halloween night. The resident advised she does not want the individual on her property and advised the individual knows she is not allowed on the property.
• Jackson, Tenn. resident reported to Deputy Hailey he had a blow out on his trailor on I55 and advised he left the trailer and four-wheeler to get a tire, but was unable to get a tire. According to the report, the next morning the resident found his trailer in a ditch and the four-wheeler was gone.
November 1
• Deputy Lawrence spoke to a Cotton Plant Rd. resident who reported she had received a stolen phone without any knowledge that it was stolen. The resident stated she was given the cell phone in exchange for the suspect to have first pick of the litter of pupies. According to the report, the resident reported the suspect advised the cell phone was stolen through a text message.
• Camille St., Sardis resident reported to Deputy Lawrence he had three heaters and two air conditioners come up missing from a storage unit behind his residence. According to the report, the resident advised he has a good idea who might be stealing from his property.
• Williams St., Batesville resident reported to Deputy Hailey her red 2012 Chevy Sonic broke down on Hwy. 315 four miles from the Sardis city limits and stated she called to have someone pick her up. According to the report, upon returning to the vehicle the resident noticed the car had been vandalized with paint and the two lights on the vehicle were broken.
November 2
• Avery Rd., Courtland resident reported to Deputy Tyler Mills that an individual broke into his house through his kitchen door inside the garage and stole a pocket knife, lawn mower, and a patio lamp. The resident advised the garage door was down and stated he is unsure of how the suspect could have gotten the garage door up. The resident stated he is tired of the suspect coming down to his house and stealing from him.
• Greenbriar Circle, Courtland resident reported to Deputy Lawrence he had his identity stolen. The resident stated he was on Facebook talking to who he thought was his cousin about getting a CDL license when his account was hacked. According to the report, the resident stated the suspect posted a picture of his license on Facebook and advised that is when he logged out of his account. According to the report, the resident was unable to log back into his account to delete the picture of his driver’s license.
• Deputy Renfroe spoke to a Chickasaw Rd., Pope resident who stated she woke the suspect up to get ready for work and advised the suspect got mad and was cursing and hollering at her. The resident stated the suspect was throwing and breaking things, including the resident’s cell phone which the suspect threw into a wall, knocking a hole in the wall, breaking her phone and a heater.
• Captain Harris spoke to a Hwy. 35 S. resident who reported her daughter-in-law made threates toward her. The resident’s son advised he and his wife got into an argument and stated that is when his wife stated she was going to kill or hurt her mother-in-law.
November 3
• Deputy Still spoke to a Curtis Rd. resident who reported the suspect shook a box cutter from the window of her car in a threatening manner and what appeared to be an attempt to put her in fear of bodily harm.
Motor Vehicle Accident Report
• October 26, a vehicle pulled out in front of another on Compress Rd. An injury was reported.
• October 27, a vehicle hydroplaned on Bell Rd. An injury was reported.
• October 27, a vehicle lost control in a curve on Bethlehem Rd. An injury was reported.
• October 28, a vehicle struck a deer in the road on Old Panola Rd.
• October 28, a hit and run occured on private property on Pope-Crowder Rd.
• October 29, a vehicle struck a deer on Old Panola Rd.
• October 29, a vehicle ran off of Pope-Crowder Rd. near Hwy. 35.
• October 30, two cars collided on Dummyline Rd. An injury was reported.
• October 30, vehicle struck a deer on Union Rd.
• October 31, vehicle swerved to miss a hitting another vehicle stopped in the middle of Woodruff Rd. An injury was reported.
• November 1, vehicle struck a deer on Shady Grove Rd.
• November 2, vehicle ran off of River Rd. and overturned.
Juvenile Incident Report
• October 24, 12-year old charged with disorderly conduct at North Panola Junior High (NPJH).
• October 26, 12-year-old charged with simple assault by threat at NPJH.
• October 26, 14-year-old and 13-year-old were charged with disorderly conduct at NPJH.
• October 30, 14-year-old was charged with harassment on Pocahontas St.