A Jackson County man charged with burglary in Rabun County is suspected of committing a string of burglaries in other communities. Benjamin Reed Heaslip, 36, was taken into custody on July 1 after law enforcement executed a search warrant on a residence in his home county. Rabun County investigators identified Heaslip as the primary suspect in burglaries at the Rabun County Golf Club, Kingwood Country Club, and Wildcat Grill.
Last year, the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office publicly released security photos of a suspect breaking into the Rabun County Golf Course on Oct. 9, 2021. According to the sheriff’s office, the suspect removed a window to gain entry and then stole cash. He reinstalled the window as he left, leading investigators to determine he had experience carrying out such crimes.
Officers with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Commerce and Toccoa Police departments assisted with the search that resulted in Heaslip’s arrest. Since then, at least nine law enforcement agencies have identified him as the primary suspect in burglaries within their jurisdictions, the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office says.
Online records show deputies charged Heaslip with two felony counts of second-degree burglary in connection with the Rabun County cases. He was released from jail on a $15,000 bond.
