James Russell Spell of Broxton has been arrested by Monroe County deputies for allegedly stealing three Polaris Rangers and trailers from Interceptor Public Safety in Forsyth. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources owned the Rangers and trailers and Interceptor was outfitting the vehicles for the DNR, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Video footage from Interceptor showed a white four-door pickup get the Rangers and trailers on Aug. 21 and Aug. 22. A police officer from Byron later said had seen the truck pulling one of the trailers with the Ranger in Warner Robins. Monroe County officers obtained video footage from the Buc-ees in Warner Robins, which helped them identify the suspect.
Officers from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as James Russell “Rusty” Spell of Broxton. Monroe County officers, DNR officers, deputies from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, and a Georgia State Patrol helicopter found the Rangers and trailers at Spell’s residence in Broxton. He was arrested and transported to the Coffee County Jail on six counts of theft by taking. Later, he was transferred to the Monroe County Jail. The Rangers and trailers were valued at over $60,000.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office released the following statement: “Special thanks to DNR law Enforcement, Peach County Sheriff’s Office, Byron Police Department, Chauncey Police Department, GSP Aviation Unit, and the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation. Also, thanks to the community who shared the post on Facebook.”