Madison Police Department
    • On February 9 a canine running at large report was filed at a Micha Way location after a man reported that a neighbor’s bulldog had killed his cat.
    According to reports the man said he observed the dog chasing his cat and a neighbor’s cat into the woods.
    The man said his cat climbed a tree to escape the dog but the dog jumped into the tree and caught the cat and killed it.
    The man said he attempted to separate the dog from the cat by striking him several times with a 40-ounce bottle.
    The man said the dog finally released the cat after he struck the dog twice with brick.
    The man said the dog never acted aggressively toward him.
    The dog’s owner told police that she was attempting to attach a chain on the dog when it escaped.
    • On February 9 Clarence Joseph Brown, 46, Sandy Springs, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after he allegedly struck a man in the head during an argument at Micha Way.
    According to reports, officers arrived at the location and discovered that Arthur Binion, no age, no address, had injures on his face and had a swollen eye.
    Brown alleged that Binion had become intoxicated and had attempted to destroy the contents of an apartment and refused to return shoes that Brown had let Binion borrow. Brown told officers that Binion had fallen and struck his head.
    Officers observed that one of Brown’s hands was swollen. Binion was also arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and public intoxication.

Madison Police Department
    • On February 3 a forgery of checks complaint was filed at a West Jefferson Street location after a woman reported that someone had used her banking information and name to produce a fraudulent check. The $29.95 check written to a Nevada company had the woman’s name and address but a Connecticut address.
    • On January 30 a burglary complaint was filed at an Eatonton Road location after a woman reported that someone had entered a storage unit and removed a Stihl weed eater.
    • On February 6 a damage to property complaint was filed at an Eatonton Road motel after a man reported that when he went to clean a room he noticed large amounts of white wax on the floor and around a Jacuzzi tub. The man said he was concerned that the wax would damage the tub.
    • On February 1 a recovered auto report was filed at an Eatonton Road truck stop after an officer was contacted by a South Carolina trucking firm and told to meet a truck driver at the truck stop. The trucking firm reported that the employee had recently quit and was bringing a 2006 Kenworth truck to the truck stop so the officer could secure the truck and trailer. The firm said it would send a driver on February 2 to pick up the truck. The officer ran the truck driver’s license and determined that the driver was wanted by South Carolina officials for an outstanding warrant. The driver was then arrested.
    • On January 26 a larceny from building complaint was filed at a Commerce Street location after a man reported that someone had entered a storage room and removed a black Honeywell space heater.

Madison Police
Department

    • On January 29 a damage to property complaint was filed at a Micha Circle location after a woman reported that someone had broken a kitchen window in a vacant apartment unit.

    • On January 25 Alexis Jessica Hargro 32, Madison was arrested and charged with felony shoplifting after she allegedly took items from an Eatonton Road grocery store and attempted to get a cash refund for items that she claimed she purchased at the store. Reports state that two employees at the store allegedly observed Hargro place items in her purse without paying.

    Reports state that Hargro allegedly took a package of Pepto Bismol tables valued at $5.48 without paying. She also attempted to return Clairol shampoo and conditioner, Jiffy Mix corn bread mix, gravy mix and hair spray for cash refunds but employees determined that the items had not been in the store’s inventory for several years.

    • On January 28 a terroristic threat complaint was filed at an Eatonton Road location after a woman alleged that a woman known to her came into her office and threatened to kill her. Reports state that the complainant alleged that the woman stood on a counter top in the business, pointed her finger at the complainant and said, “I will (expletive) kill you, you (expletive).”

    • On January 28 Timothy Aaron Harper, 26, Covington, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana after an officer at a highway safety check point smelled marijuana smoke coming from a vehicle Harper was driving.

Madison Police Department
    • On January 20 a recovered stolen property report was filed at an Eatonton Road convenience store after a tow truck driver requested that the city run the vehicle identification number on a 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse that had been abandoned at the store. According to reports the vehicle came back as reported stolen from Columbia County. The vehicle was towed to the city’s secure impound lot and Columbia County officials were contacted.
    • On January 21, Carnell Porter, 53, Madison was arrested and charged with shoplifting after Madison officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at an Eatonton Road grocery store. Reports state that an employee at the store alleged that Porter pushed a buggy with $171 worth of groceries to a van in the parking lot without paying for the items. Officers responding to the complaint observed a van matching the description of the suspect’s van on South Main Street and stopped the van on Hunter Street. Consequent to the stop Porter was arrested. Two other people in the van and Porter were also cited for open container violations. Reports state that three open beers were found in the van.
    • On January 17 a counterfeiting complaint was filed at an Eatonton Road department store after a manager of the store reported that while she was counting a cash drawer she found four counterfeit $100 bills.  The manager said it was not possible to determine which casher accepted the fake bills.

Artists sketch of suspect in last week’s burglary at a residence on 441 north.

By Patrick Yost
Editor

    Morgan County Sheriff’s Office officers are searching for two white males wanted in connection with a brazen day–light burglary at a residence on U.S. Highway 441 north.
    According to Capt. Chris Bish, Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, the two men were surprised by a woman who lived at the residence after they forced their way into the house by first forcing entry through a garage door and then forcing open a kitchen door.
    Bish said the woman told authorities that the men had rung the doorbell several times. “She did not recognize them and didn’t understand why they were there,” he said.
    After the men gained entry into the house the woman fled through the front door, ran to a neighbor’s and called police.
    The men took the victim’s large brown and tan “Coach” purse that contained her wallet with driver’s license and credit cards. They fled the residence in a white, newer model Cadillac, Bish said.
    One suspect is described as being 35 to 45–years–old, with an average build, clean–shaven, olive complexion and wearing a multi–colored stocking cap. The second suspect is described as being younger and wearing a black–colored, hooded sweat shirt. The incident occurred at approximately 8:48 a.m., Bish said. Investigators at the scene “got some good physical evidence that we turned over to the crime lab,” Bish said.

Printed in the January 27, 2011 edition

Madison Police Department
    • On January 1 a fraud complaint was filed at a Highland Avenue location after a woman reported that she noticed someone had attempted to make a $300 charge to the “Cellstore” using her checking account. The woman said she caught the charge while it was still pending and was able to stop the charge.
    • On January 15 Justin Bridwell, 21, Eatonton was arrested and charged with three counts of obstruction after he allegedly resisted officers’ attempts to arrest him on outstanding warrants. According to reports, officers responded to complaints of a white vehicle driving recklessly on Commerce Street. At Commerce Street a witness reported that Bridwell had been driving the vehicle but had left in another vehicle driven by a woman. Officers located Bridwell and the woman on Prior Circle. After locating Bridwell, reports state, Bridwell allegedly walked towards officers in an aggressive manner. One officer had to restrain Bridwell while a second officer attempted to place handcuffs on Bridwell. Bridwell broke free, reports state, and had to be restrained on the hood of a car while an officer completed handcuffing Bridwell.
    • On January 7 a fraud complaint was filed at a North Main Street bank after a man reported that someone had used his business checking account to fraudulently take more than $12,000 from the account. According to reports, the account holder reported that from January 4 to January 6 $12,312 had been removed from his account in 11 transactions. Six of the transactions occurred at a Sam’s Club location. A $3,972 transaction occurred at Solink and a $2,152 charge appeared from Sprint.