Public record
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on December 3, 2009 1:46 PM
Armed robbery
An Old Smithfield Road man reported being robbed of $570 cash at gunpoint at the intersection of Evans Road and Ebenezer Church Road, according to a Wayne County Sheriff's Office report. A male unknown to the victim, Rocky Barnes, 28, allegedly jumped in the passenger side of his truck with a shirt wrapped around his head. After threatening the man with a handgun, the suspect made off with the cash, according to the report.
Break-in warning
Police warn that a rash of vehicle break-ins has targeted mostly people who leave expensive items in plain view inside their cars, Maj. Mike Hopper said. Hopper said in the months leading up to the holiday season, police have seen an increase in "smash and grab," vehicle break-ins. Hopper said that in the majority of cases, victims had left items like "GPS," or global positing system units, iPods, and cell phones in plain view. Often, victims will find that their insurance deductible is less than the cost of a new vehicle window. "So that's a couple of hundred dollars out of your pocket that may have been preventable," the major said.
Reward offered
A LaGrange-based auto dealer is offerering a $2,500 reward for information about vandalism and theft at the dealership in recent weeks, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office reported. Dan Wise Chevrolet employees reported that on Oct. 27, a window was broken and the tires and wheel rims were taken off of a 2010 Camaro, authorities said. A day earlier, on Thanksgiving Day, windows were broken out of four vehicles parked at the Chevrolet dealership, authorities said. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Sgt. Larry Mitchell at 731-1541, or the Crime Stoppers hotline at 735-2255.