A Jones County defendant arrested in June for the theft of motor vehicles was in court last week to enter a guilty plea for the charges.
Gabriel Kaison Martin entered his plea July 25 and received sentences of five years each for two counts of theft by taking. The counts will run concurrently for a total of five years, which are to be served on probation.
A report of Martin’s arrest by Jones County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Matthew Dennis states he received notice at 8:30 a.m. June 15 that a wrecker service truck loaded with a Chevrolet Silverado had been stolen at 3:30 that morning.
The theft occurred in Bibb County, but a Flock camera spotted it in Jones County on Griswoldville Road. Dennis said the vehicle on the wrecker belonged to a Jones County resident.
The deputy said the wrecker was later seen removing a Camaro from a wrecker service lot on Highway 49.
The officer said he received information that the Silverado had been impounded by Bibb County after it had been found in the roadway. He was also informed by the owner of the impound lot that a video showed the suspect who took the wrecker go into the impound lot with a gas can and go right to the Silverado.
Dennis said, when the suspect could not get the car started, he got into the wrecker, backed it into the gate and loaded up the Silverado. The lot owner told the officer he did not think the wrecker theft was the suspect’s first priority.
After viewing the video and speaking with the lot owner, Dennis had JCSO dispatch place the vehicles on GCIC as stolen and included a description of the driver. The officer said JCSO Lt. Bobby Gay called him after the information was broadcast to say he saw the wrecker while on his way to work loading or unloading a Silverado. Gay told him the driver fit the description of the driver.
Gay gave Dennis the Macon location, who went to the area and found the wrecker. The deputy called Bibb County for assistance and conducted a traffic stop on the wrecker when it drove past.
The Camaro was still loaded on the wrecker.
With the assistance of a Bibb County deputy, Martin was taken into custody and transported to the Jones County Law Enforcement Center. The deputy said the Silverado was located where it had been unloaded.
