42-year-old Russell Scott Tittle of Clarkesville is behind bars in Jefferson charged with felony Cargo Theft. Agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Major Theft Unit say he was involved in the theft of truckloads of products from a distribution center.
Tittle, who gave a Hwy 17 Clarkesville address at the time of his arrest, faces four counts under Georgia’s recently added statute covering the theft of cargo. Lawmakers say it’s a growing problem in Georgia due to the states’ successful Port of Savannah and the various large corporate distribution centers located here. At last count, 43.5 million truckloads of cargo valued at $1.4 trillion traveled through the state annually.
Investigators say Tittle (and possibly others) made off with 2 truckloads of product from the Reckitt-Benckiser distribution center in Jackson County back in January. RB products include everything from Mucinex decongestant to French’s mustard. Most of the cargo was recovered but, under the law, the total value of the stolen goods approached $970,000 meaning Tittle faces a minimum of 5 years in prison if convicted.
About the GBI Major Theft Unit:
The Major Theft Unit is comprised of personnel from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the DeKalb County Police Department, and the Motor Carrier Compliance Division of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. The Major Theft Unit is supervised by GBI Special Agent in Charge John Cannon who oversees the day to day operation of the unit.
