BPS reports recent break-ins at Bainbridge businesses

Want to report suspicious activity? Call your local law enforcement agency and if necessary, ask how to leave an anonymous crime tip. In Bainbridge, call Bainbridge Public Safety at (229) 248-2038 or leave an anonymous crimestopper tip at the City of Bainbridge website. You can call the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office at (229) 248-3044 or visit decaturso.com

Break-in attempt discovered at convenience store

On Tuesday, Sept. 15, Bainbridge Public Safety Captain Jack Bunting responded to a convenience store at 2080 Dothan Road in reference to a burglary.

Bunting spoke with the store’s manager, who said he had discovered where someone had apparently attempted to break-in to the convenience store. Captain Bunting walked behind the store and saw where someone had used a large hammer to beat on the store’s cinder block wall. The hammering broke the building’s outer block but no one got inside.

Semi damage reported at convenience store

On Friday, Sept. 11, at about 9:45 p.m., Bainbridge Public Safety Officer Codey Vaughn responded to a convenience store at 1006 River Road in Bainbridge. The store’s manager said he was working inside the store when he heard a loud noise like that of a collision. The store owner ran outside and saw a white semi-trailer truck was driving out of the store’s parking lot after apparently running into a canopy covering the diesel gas terminals. According to Officer Vaughn’s report, one of the diesel tanks received severe damage. However, officers were unable to catch up with the semi trailer truck, which left on River Road.

Burglary reported at Calhoun Street business

Following break-in attempts in recent weeks at the Bonnie Blue restaurant and the Tanning Company, both located on Calhoun Street in Bainbridge, another business break-in was reported on Sept. 16.

Public Safety Officer Chris Avery responded to Port City Seafood, 414 E. Calhoun Street, in reference to a burglary. The business owner showed the officer where someone broke into the business’ shop area by smashing the cinder blocks on the west side of the shop. Enough cinder blocks were busted out to allow entry into the building. It was not known if anything was taken, however a flashlight was found to have been moved and a tire iron may have been left behind by the burglars.

Bainbridge Public Safety investigators collected fingerprints and other potential evidence from the break-ins. Anyone who knows who the person or persons responsible for the break-ins is asked to call Bainbridge Public Safety at (229) 248-2038 or leave an anonymous crimestopper tip at the City of Bainbridge website.

Other Bainbridge Public Safety incidents

• 9/16: Resident of Virginia Place, Bainbridge, reports truck broken into. Mossberg 500A pump shotgun stolen; an orange and black Echo weed eater was also taken from the back of the truck. (See related article: “Police warn thieves targeting mailboxes” from WTVM)
• 9/17: A resident of Conger Drive in West Bainbridge reported that someone had apparently opened some of her mail when she went to check her mailbox.
• 9/11: A member of a church on Bethel Road in Bainbridge reported a new lawnmower that the church had recently purchased was stolen from a storage shed. Officers found tire tracks indicating the lawnmower, a red Ariens with a 46″ blade and 22 HP motor, was loaded onto a truck by the thieves.
• 9/16: A resident of East Alice Street in Bainbridge reported their four-wheeler was stolen. The Polaris 325cc ATV was spray painted with camouflage colors.
• 9/16: A resident of Taylor Street reported an air compressor, gas leaf blower and a weed eater were stolen from his property. The air compressor had wheels and was a dark green and black color.
• 9/15: The CVS Pharmacy on Shotwell Street in Bainbridge reported that a man and woman had shoplifted several boxes of cough syrup medicine from the store before leaving the store in a white Ford van. The two kinds of cough medicine taken were both brands sometimes abused for non-medicinal purposes. See related story, “Teens Using Cough Medicine to Get High” from ABC 20/20.
• 9/13: The owner of an ice machine on Scott Street reported that someone had broken into his ice machine and taken money from inside the machine. Fingerprints were collected.
• 9/17: A resident of Carter Street in Bainbridge reported they noticed a window had been broken and several items had been moved.