Working with a statewide burglary task force, Hall County authorities have helped to crack a statewide burglary ring responsible for dozens of break-ins and tens of thousands of dollars in thefts.
According to a press release from the Hall County Sheriff's Office (HCSO), task force members obtained more than 300 arrest warrants following the investigation into dozens of smash-and-grab style burglaries dating back to 2015.
HCSO Lt. Scott Ware said the burglaries occurred all across the state of Georgia and into the state of Tennessee.
"They targeted smaller mom-and-pop type grocery stores, gas stations, things of that nature," Ware said. "They would break in and primarily they were stealing safes, ATM machines and cigarettes."
Ware said investigators determined that the criminal gang - known as ABM, or All About Money - burglarized at least one store every two days over the past one and a half years.
"Between the damage to the stores and the amounts taken total - the figure I have is $1.35 million," Ware said.
While the task force identified a total of 20 suspects in the operation, nine of them were arrested in connection with incidents in Hall County.
Ware said the nine suspects - all from the Atlanta area - are believed to be responsible for burglaries at eight Hall County stores from May through October 2016.
He identified the suspects in the Hall County crimes as follows:
- Gary Stephens Jr., 29, of Atlanta, Ga, Charges: Smash and Grab Burglary (3cts)
- Artis Eugene Murphy, 29, of Austell, Ga. Charges: Smash and Grab Burglary (3cts) Hold Another County in Georgia (2cts)
- Mario Pass, 29, of Atlanta, Ga. Charges: Smash and Grab Burglary (4cts)
- JePaul James Adams, 34, of Atlanta, Ga., Charges: Smash and Grab Burglary (4cts)
- Quinton Mario Tucker, 31, of Atlanta, Ga., Charges: Smash and Grab Burglary (4cts)
- Travis Tucker, 26, of Ellenwood, Ga., Charge: Smash and Grab Burglary
- Danthony Brown, 27, of Atlanta, Ga., Charges: Smash and Grab Burglary, 2nd Degree Burglary (2cts)
- Henrico Tremayne Haynes, 25, of Atlanta, Ga., Charges: Smash and Grab Burglary (2cts)
- Larry Johnson, 28, of Atlanta, Ga., Charge: Smash and Grab Burglary
Ware said it is likely more arrests will be made as the investigation continues.
The statewide burglary task force is comprised of investigators from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Floyd County Police Department and the Gwinnett County Police Department along with assistance from an additional 53 jurisdictions within the state of Georgia.
