Crazy Crime: Couple Uses Boy to Steal; Burglars Hit Museum

A few police reports chronicling strange happenings in Cartersville and Bartow County in the last day or so caught our eyes at Cartersville Patch. Here are the stories:

Cops: Shoplifting Couple Use Juvenile Boy to Steal

Bartow County authorties say a local pair used a boy to try to shoplift nearly $250 in merchandise, then fled on foot when the juvenile was caught.

A Walmart asset protection worker reported the alleged theft shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday, after stopping the boy outside the store with a cart full of items for which he had not paid, according to the Bartow County Sheriff's Office incident report, attached.

Surveillance footage allegedly shows Randall Steven Vernon, 26, and Santana Courtney Poppell, 17, residents of nearby Guest House, placing items into the boy's cart. The two allegedly fled on foot from inside the store, leaving the boy with asset protection workers.

Despite Vernon's reported attempt to elude police by scaling a 10-foot wall, he and Poppell were arrested at the motel. Vernon had an outstanding warrant for a burglary charge.

In connection with the Walmart incident, he and Poppell were each charged with theft by shoplifting and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Vernon also was charged with obstruction of an officer.

Walmart chose not to prosecute the juvenile.

Neighbor Allegedly Snatches Woman's Rent Payment

In an unrelated Saturday incident at Guest House, a man allegedly snatched a woman's rent payment and ran, escaping arrest.

The suspect, 52, who had been staying at the motel, asked to use the phone in the office, but was denied, the clerk said, according to the report. The man then sat down in a chair in the lobby.

Another resident came in the office to pay her rent about 9:45 a.m. and the clerk put it on the counter to write a receipt. The suspect allegedly grabbed the $140 and ran, encountering at least one person who declined to give him a ride.

The witness, who was at nearby Martin's, told police the suspect pulled on the door of his truck and said he needed a ride in a hurry. Another witness said the suspect ran through the parking lot, "yelling the cops were after him."

He was seen by other witnesses getting into a car and leaving the area. Authorities issued a warrant for the suspect's arrests on a robbery by sudden snatch charge.

Burglars Take $20,000 in Valuables from Kingston Museum

More than $20,000 in firearms and other valuables were taken in a burglary discovered Friday in Kingston.

The owner of the McCoy Road museum noticed the front and back doors open about 1:30 p.m., and said it appeared someone had pried them and burglarized the building sometime since Jan. 25, according to the report.

Deputies found a pair of bolt cutters and investigators processed the scene, which included several display cases.

From the cases, $11,200 in firearms, $1,500 in jewelry or precious metals, and $8,650 in other items were taken, a total value of $21,350.

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