Police have arrested a suspect in the theft of $400,000 worth of heavy-duty trucks from a North Georgia car dealership. Officers charged 28-year-old Xavier Cordel Evans of Atlanta with five felony counts of theft by taking motor vehicles.
According to police, the thefts began on February 12, when the owner noticed that five trucks had been stolen from Akins Ford in Winder. The last one was taken around 7 that morning.
Winder Police were able to identify Evans as a suspect and contacted Atlanta Police for assistance locating him on Thursday, February 15. During a traffic stop, officers took Evans into custody.
Police say that Evans had the specialized technical knowledge and equipment to bypass the security systems of the late-model heavy-duty trucks. A joint effort between the Winder Police Detective, the crime analyst, and Akins Ford Security quickly produced leads in the case.
“These are not your ordinary car thieves. This is an organized group or theft ring with specialized technical knowledge and equipment that target expensive late-model vehicles that are in high demand for the whole vehicles or their parts,” says Winder Police Chief Jim Fullington.
Fullington says he is proud of his officers for the work that they did in solving these thefts.
“This case is an example of diligent police work and utilizing various intelligence tools to follow the evidence in an investigation. It also shows the significance of having good working relationships and communications with other law enforcement agencies that can help play a part in furthering an investigation.”
Evans is being held at the Barrow County Detention Center. The investigation into the thefts remains ongoing.
