Sheriff's colonel Jeff Strickland said pressure from media reports helped nab 41 year old Rhonda Faye Rollinson, charged with three counts of burglary in three Flowery Branch area break-ins. Rollinson was arrested nearby Gwinnett County where a friend, Benjamin Finley, is charged with theft by receiving and is in the Gwinnett County Jail.
Strickland said Rollinson did not look like a burglar, even on crime scene video.
"This looked like a normal person," Strickland said. "People in the neighborhoods were less suspecting of her, she looked like she could really fit into the neighborhood and could be a visitor instead of a burglar."
Earlier this week investigators released a photo and video to news media requesting the public's assistance in identifying Rollinson. Strickland said it appeared that, under law enforcement pressure with the media's assistance, she abandoned her vehicle in Flowery Branch the same day information about her was revealed.
Flowery Branch Police located her vehicle and contacted Hall investigators, who were able to identify Rollinson and get arrest warrants.
Strickland said the stolen property, including handguns, lap top computers, video equipment, a hunting bow in its case, even a cigar box containing a harmonica collection, were found stashed in woods behind a Buford area residence where Finley was arrested. About 50 percent of the property has been identified; Strickland property owners missing belongings may contact the Sheriff's Department's Criminal Investigation Division at 770-531-6879.
Tammie Snodgrass came to the Sheriff's Office to retrieve one of the stolen handguns.
"The gun is special, it belonged to my mother who died about three years ago, I inherited it when she passed away so at least I got something back," Snodgrass said, adding that she still has several items missing from her home. "They took a bunch more things, I have lap tops and a camera missing but at least I got something sentimental back."
Col. Strickland said more charges may be pending against Rollinson, who has a previous record of burglary arrests including an incident in the 1990's when she was accused of attempting to run over a burglary victim.
Tammie Snodgrass came to the Sheriff
Strickland said the stolen property, including handguns, lap top computers, video equipment, a hunting bow,cameras and other valuables, were found stashed in woods behind a Buford area residence
Even a cigar box containing a harmonica collection was recovered
Pressure from media reports helped nab 41 year old Rhonda Faye Rollinson
http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/7/231098