Sheriff’s officials reported Wednesday the arrest of a Coffee County man believed to be responsible for over a dozen recent thefts of utility trailers that occurred in multiple counties.
After a string of utility trailer thefts in Coffee and Bacon Counties, detectives with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office and Bacon County Sheriff’s Office worked together to determine who was stealing the trailers. Investigators were able to identify 41-year-old Jim Stacey Davis of Douglas as a suspect, and law enforcement was provided with a description of a vehicle Davis could be driving.
Davis was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant shortly afterwards when he was spotted by Nicholls Police Chief Jamie Merritt.
Investigators with both sheriff’s offices continued to work the cases and, as a result, have recovered 18 utility trailers that were stolen, 13 of which were taken from Coffee County. Investigators have been able to identify the owners of the recovered trailers and will begin returning them to their owners this week, sheriff’s authorities stated.
“This investigation led investigators to other counties, and I would like to thank Bacon County Sheriff Richard Foskey and Jeff Davis County Sheriff Preston Bohannon and their investigators for all their assistance in this investigation,” Sheriff Doyle Wooten stated. “I would also like to thank Coffee County deputies, HEAT officers, and Nicholls Police Department for their assistance. It takes us all working together to be able to do our jobs efficiently.”
Davis is currently being housed in the Bacon County Jail on numerous theft and theft by deception charges. He will later be transferred to Coffee County where he will face additional theft and theft by deception charges here also.
The investigation is ongoing and investigators believe additional trailers or other property will be recovered.
Sheriff’s authorities advised citizens that, due to the ease of these trailers being taken, you should either chain the trailers to a fixed object or put coupler locks on the trailer or both. Most of the utility trailers sold do not have a serial number stamped on them. The manufacturer provides a sticker that is placed on the trailer or the tax office stamps a serial number on a plate that is then affixed to the trailer with rivets or screws.
When the trailer is taken, the thief immediately peels the sticker off or removes the plate. It is advised that the owner take the trailer to someone and have the serial number stamped on the trailer in several locations or have the number welded into the frame. The serial number is what distinguishes one trailer from another. When a theft occurs and a report is made, the serial number is entered into the Georgia Crime Information Center. Officers are able to run the serial numbers when checking for stolen property. Without the serial number, law enforcement cannot determine if trailer has been stolen without additional information.
