Chief Thomas Culpepper of the Cartersville Police Department has announced that Investigators with the Cartersville Police Department and the Cartersville-Bartow DTF conducted an overnight crime suppression operation that resulted in multiple arrests for crimes in progress. Based upon recent crime trends, investigators deployed to various locations throughout the City of Cartersville in a proactive effort to prevent and deter criminal activity. During this operation, officers identified a group of juveniles and young adults, walking through the Grove Park subdivision at approximately 1:30 thursday morning. Officers maintained surveillance and noted the suspects hiding in the shadows when vehicles passed. Officers also noted that all three subjects had their faces covered with red bandanas and at least one was wearing gloves. As officers approached, one suspect fled on foot and two other juveniles were immediately detained. A subsequent search of the area led to the apprehension of the third suspect, 17-year-old John Paul Petty. All three suspects were arrested at the scene and charged with loitering and prowling. The juveniles were later released to their parents and guardians, while Petty was transported and released to the Bartow County Jail.
Later that same morning, surveillance teams observed a separate group of suspects walking in the Carter Grove subdivision and also noted a vehicle parked in the area with its lights out. Officers maintained surveillance and ultimately stopped the vehicle as it left the subdivision. Officers initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle on Douthit Ferry Road and as the vehicle came to a stop, one of the occupants fled from the vehicle on foot. The vehicle’s remaining occupants were detained at the scene, while a foot pursuit and search ensued. The foot pursuit ended when officers located and arrested the suspect, Jaquez Cole hiding in a field on Pine Grove Road near Dellinger Park. A search of the area resulted in the recovery of a stolen handgun and the suspect’s hooded sweatshirt. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers recovered 2 stolen purses; containing ID’s and credit cards, a checkbook and a stolen IPad. Further investigation revealed that these items were stolen from vehicles in the Carter Grove Subdivision. As a result, officers took a juvenile passenger in the vehicle into custody for theft and entering autos. The juvenile suspect was later released to the Department of Juvenile Justice, while Cole was booked and processed and later transported and released to the Bartow County Jail for multiple charges stemming from this incident.
Again, Investigators urge the residents of these subdivisions to inventory their vehicles to make sure that they have not been victimized. The Cartersville Police Department would also encourage all residents of Cartersville and Bartow County to lock your vehicles at all times.