After the arrest of five suspects in three incidents over the weekend, Bulloch County sheriff’s investigators reported a recent spike in metal theft.
Incidents of metal theft had lessened in previous months, but that type of crime seems to be on the rise again.
“Those numbers (of metal theft incidents) are again rising,” Bulloch County Sheriff Lynn Anderson said. “Since last Friday, two separate groups of metal thieves were taken into custody by deputies acting on tips from citizens. In a third incident, deputies have issued arrest warrants for a Bulloch County resident for the same conduct.”
On Friday, a machine shop owner reported thefts from R.C. Machine on Mill Creek Road. “After the report was filed, research of Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office records indicated Roy Ashton Wilson (age 27, Troy Street, Brooklet) had been logged by deputies overnight in a nearby location acting suspiciously,” Anderson said.
Surveillance video showed evidence Wilson was linked to the machine shop thefts. Warrants were secured for theft by taking and criminal trespass, Anderson said.
Metal items also were reported stolen Friday from a T.E. Glisson Road residence in Brooklet.
A man caught two male suspects near a pile of scrap metal on his property and wrote down their truck’s tag number. Deputies stopped the truck on U.S. Highway 80 East, and the driver, Timmy Howard, 34, Ridge Road, Eden, fled. Deputies took a passenger, John Talley, 30, of Old River Road in Bloomingdale, into custody at the scene and later located Howard.
“Their vehicle contained various metal items of unknown origin,” Anderson said.
Both men were charged with criminal attempt to commit theft by taking, while Howard was also charged with several traffic offenses as well as obstruction for fleeing on foot, the sheriff said.
“Investigation into whether Howard and Talley are responsible for the incident (Friday) on T.E. Glisson Road continues, as do efforts to locate the owners of metal items recovered from the vehicle,” Anderson said.
On Saturday, deputies were called to a spot off U.S. Highway 301 North behind the Georgia Forestry Commission office, near Mill Creek Road, where Cassandra Huggins, 30, and Duane Deal, 50, both of Mill Creek Estates Mobile Home Park, were found removing metal items from property owned by the Georgia Forestry Commission, Anderson said, adding that a concerned citizen called and helped deputies locate the two, he said.
Both were arrested, charged with theft by taking and criminal trespass. Deal also had an outstanding probation warrant.
On Monday, a Bulloch County resident posted an alert on Facebook after calling police regarding a theft from his property in the Middleground community.
A black male in a gold four-door car, possibly a Toyota or Nissan, with Florida plates, was seen in the area of Middleground and Mallard Pond roads. He was stealing wire and small metal items, according to the post. Sheriff’s deputies are investigating the incident.
 Anderson said he encourages everyone to “be observant and report any suspicious activity immediately” by calling 911.
Also, tips can be made by calling (912) 764-8888 or online at tips@bullochsheriff.com.

Holli Deal Bragg may be reached at (912) 489-9414.