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Thursday, Feb. 04, 2010

Burglars may be targeting city halls in small towns

Authorities suspect a burglary ring is operating in small Middle Georgia hamlets where city halls have fallen victim to burglars in recent weeks.

Several break-ins have been reported in Laurens, Telfair and Dodge counties since Jan. 22.

“It’s strange they’re only targeting these little city halls instead of convenience stores or homes,” said Capt. Tony Winborn, public information officer with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office.

Dodge investigators are trying to find the culprits who broke into Chester City Hall during the weekend of Jan. 23 and Chauncey City Hall sometime during the night of Jan. 24th. In Telfair County, Milan City Hall was hit, and just this past weekend burglars entered the city hall building in Lumber City, Winborn said. City halls in Cadwell and Rentz also have been broken into in Laurens County.

“We think they’re all connected,” Winborn said.

Someone broke in through the door of the Chauncey City Hall and entered through a window in Chester, he said.

Nothing of value was taken in either burglary but file cabinets and drawers were ransacked.

“We think they were attempting to look for petty cash but there was no cash available,” Winborn said.

A small amount of cash was all that was taken from city halls in Rentz and Cadwell between Jan. 22 and Jan. 25, said Capt. Stan Wright of the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office.

Offices in both locations were ransacked but there was no major damage, Wright said.

“They’re doing what they’ve got to do to get in and then doing what they need to do (to access cash) once they get in,” Wright said.

The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office has seen a recent spike in burglaries. Investigators also are gathering evidence in burglaries at the Reed Springs Church outside Rentz on Jan. 25 and a Jan. 28 break-in at Rocky Creek Baptist Church. Electronics equipment was taken at the churches. Someone also broke into the Dollar General in Rentz on Jan. 26 and tried to gain entry into the safe but gave up. It’s too early to tell if those incidents are related to the city hall break-ins, Wright said.

“It’s getting so spread out, we’re wondering ‘Who is this?’ ” Wright said, “because it’s not really lucrative for ’em.”

Anyone with information in the cases is asked to call the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office at (478) 374-8131 or the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office at (478) 272-1522.

To contact writer Liz Fabian, call 744-4303.