A Clarkesville man was arrested Tuesday when police say they found him in possession of drugs and keys that had been stolen from a Taco Bell in Cornelia.
A report from the Cornelia Police Department said officers were called to the restaurant on Furniture Drive off of Old Historic U.S. 441 to a report of stolen keys. An employee at the store said the keys had been stolen off of a table and that the suspect had gone to a nearby Walmart.
When the officer went to the Walmart, he reportedly found James Edgar Dunn, age 38, sitting on a bench in front of the store. Dunn initially denied taking the keys, but later offered to give them back when the employee confronted him during his conversation with the officer.
"At this time [the employee] approached me as I was speaking with Dunn and stated yes that’s him, he stole my keys. Dunn then stated if you want them I can give them back," the report said.
Officers then began arresting Dunn, who told police that the keys were in his hotel room at the nearby Quality Inn on J Warren Road. While arresting Dunn, officers found a red Skittles box.
"I asked him what was in it, Dunn stated it had all of his recipes in it," the report by the officer said. "When I opened it up I noticed several rolled-up recipes, I removed the recipes from the container and noticed a small clear baggie in the bottom."
That clear baggie, along with two others, reportedly had a crystal-like substance that officers said appeared to be methamphetamine.
Dunn was booked into the Habersham County Detention Center on charges of theft by taking, possession of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana.
The keys were reportedly returned to the Taco Bell employee.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2024/6/1248868/man-arrested-after-stealing-keys-from-cornelia-taco-bell