Georgiana Police Chief’s car stolen
Published 12:00 am Monday, June 28, 2004
Car thefts in Butler County are not a very common thing.
This is especially true if the car stolen belongs to a law enforcement officer.
In Georgiana, this was recently the case with a car theft.
Actually, the thief took it a step further. He took the chief of police’s car.
The car theft proved to be unsuccessful in every way as the car was recovered only hours after the theft.
The theft occurred at Blackmon’s home.
The thief came into Blackmon’s yard where he began his joyride.
&uot;We had an 18-year-old come into the yard and take the car,&uot; said Blackmon. &uot;There really wasn’t a lot to it.&uot;
The ride was very short-lived as police caught up with the car fairly soon after the theft.
Blackmon said police caught up with the youth near Evergreen and got the car with little trouble.
&uot;The car was recovered in Evergreen,&uot; said Blackmon. &uot;The car wasn’t damaged or anything.&uot;
Blackmon said he believed the youth was still being held in jail.
&uot;He was in jail the last time I checked,&uot; said Blackmon. &uot;As far as I know he is still there.&uot;
As it turns out the man also faces charges for stealing a vehicle in Conecuh County.
According to Detective Sean Klaetsch of the Evergreen Police Department, they received a call on June 10 that a police car was stuck in a ditch off South Jordan Street.
An investigation into the vehicle determined that it was Blackmon’s missing car. The investigation then led to the discovery that a Pontiac Transport van was stolen in Evergreen.
The Georgiana Police found that vehicle in a ditch near the location where the police car was taken in that town. The investigation led authorities to a suspect that lived in Evergreen near where the stolen police car was found.
The suspect was taken to the EPD for questioning. He confessed to the thefts and was placed under arrest.
Latwuan Herbert, 18, of Evergreen, was charged with one count of theft first degree in Evergreen and one count of theft first degree in Butler County. He was also charged with one count of theft second degree in Butler County. He was being held in Butler County on those charges before being turned over to the Evergreen authorities.