Dalton Police Blog

DPD Seeks Information on Car Break-Ins, ATM Fraud

The Dalton Police Department is asking for the public’s help with identifying a suspect who used an ATM card which was stolen during a series of three vehicle break-ins on Rocky Face Circle.  The entering auto incidents happened on the night of January 27th with the thieves leaving with approximately $700 worth of stolen property, including items such as MP3 players and GPS devices.  They also left with at least $200 in cash. The thieves also stole a wallet containing one victim’s bank cards.  One of those cards was later used to withdraw approximately $150 from two bank ATMs.  The images below were taken by the ATM’s security camera.

If you have any information on the identity of the suspect below, or any other information on these crimes, please contact Detective Jason Bishop with the Dalton Police Department at 706-278-9085, extension 214.

DPD Seeks Information on TV Shoplifting Suspect

The Dalton Police Department is asking for help from the public in identifying a white male who shoplifted a television from the Sears in Walnut Square Mall on December 11th.  The television, a 32-inch ProScan TV, is valued at approximately $400.

On the afternoon of December 11th, a group of four people, two white males and two white females, arrived together in the Sears store and began to move around the store together.  One of the group walked into the electronics department and picked up a television which was still in the shipping package, and walked out the door of the store without attempting to pay.  The suspect is described as a white male described as being in his last 20’s with brown hair and a thin, neatly trimmed beard dressed in a polo shirt and black North Face jacket.  He has a tattoo of a cross on the back of his neck.  The group fled in a waiting Nissan pickup truck. 

This crime was recorded on the store’s surveillance system, and an image of the suspect is included below.  If anyone has any information on this incident or the identity of the man pictured below, they are asked to please contact Detective John Helton with the Dalton Police Department at 706-278-9085, extension 143.

Below: The suspect is pictured on the store's surveillance system (click image to see a larger version).

Stay Safe on Super Bowl Sunday

This Sunday, February 7th, is Super Bowl Sunday.  As a result it's also one of the most dangerous days of the year on the nation’s highways due to drunk driving.  Statistics show that in 2008, 33 percent of all traffic fatalities involved an impaired driver. However, on the day of 2008's Super Bowl, that stat jumped to a staggering 48 percent when the driver had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. 

The Dalton Police Department offers the following reminders to make Super Bowl Sunday safe.
If you plan to host a Super Bowl Party:

• Before kickoff, make sure your guests have Designated sober Drivers.
• Never serve alcohol to guests under 21-years-of-age.
• Serve plenty of food…And include soft drinks, juice, and water.
• Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter (just like NFL stadiums) and start serving coffee and dessert instead.
• Take car keys from anyone who thinks about driving impaired.
• Keep the numbers for local cab companies on hand for impaired guests.

If you plan to attend a Super Bowl Party or watch the game at a restaurant or sports bar, here are some tips to ensure that you arrive home safely:

• Designate your sober driver before the party begins and give them your car keys.
• Volunteer to be the Designated Driver or offer to be one next time out.
• Before you party, program local cab company numbers in your cell phone so a safe ride is just a call away.
• Pace yourself.  Avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast. 
• Eat enough food, take breaks, and alternate with non-alcoholic drinks.
• Never let a friend out of sight if you think they will drive impaired.

The Dalton Police Department reminds motorists that we have a Zero-Tolerance Policy for impaired driving. Help make this a safe Super Bowl Sunday on the roadways by buckling up, slowing down and driving sober. 

DPD Makes Arrests in "Tagging" Incidents

The Dalton Police Department has arrested three teenagers and issued an arrest warrant for one other after investigating a series of 16 “tagging” vandalism incidents that occurred on January 7th, 2010.  The incidents occurred in the neighborhood around Kenilworth Court in Dalton, and involved the spray-painting of vehicles, houses, or mailboxes.  In four cases, mailboxes were damaged with a baseball bat.

After an investigation by the Dalton Police Department, Christopher Kinnamon, 17, of 513 Williamsburg Drive; Christopher Charles Wilson, 18, of 808 Judd Terrace; and Samuel Batts, 18, of 800 Atkinson Drive were all arrested and charged with 16 counts each of criminal trespass.  An arrest warrant was also issued for Charles Thomason, 17, of 1908 Tiffany Lane with 16 counts of criminal trespass.

Investigators cited the work of School Resource Officer Brandon Carter as being critical to the quick resolution of these cases.  These incidents remain under investigation and further charges are possible.

Investigation Continues Into 2008 Arson Fire, Public's Help Needed

The Dalton Police Department is continuing an investigation into a November 2008 arson fire in the office of a local insurance company, and the owner is still offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the offender.

The crime occurred during the morning hours on November 10, 2008 at the office of Oliver F. Cobb & Associates at 2708 Airport Road.  One of the office windows was found broken out, and a small fire was set inside.  The fire was put out by the building’s sprinkler system, but the office and an adjacent suite suffered smoke and heavy water damage. Oliver F. Cobb & Associates, LLC is a records and information management business handling insurance related services.

The Dalton Police Department continues to investigate the incident.  The $10,000 reward is being offered by the company’s owner, Oliver F. Cobb for any crucial information leading to an arrest and conviction.  If you have any information about this crime, please contact Detective John Helton with the Dalton Police Department at 706-278-9085, extension 143.

A sign outside the office of Oliver F. Cobb & Associates advertises a reward for information leading to an arrest in a 2008 arson case.

 

Girl Scout Donates Stuffed Animals to DPD

Dalton High School senior Aly Flores has been collecting stuffed animals at different locations around Dalton as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award Project.  Originally, her idea was to donate the stuffed animals to Hamilton Medical Center to be used by young patients.  She was more successful than she'd dreamed, collecting more than 1,400 stuffed animals, more than the hospital could accept.  So, she's been looking around for other homes for the stuffed animals, and on Thursday, she made a large donation to the Dalton Police Department.  The stuffed animals will be carried in DPD patrol cars for any children who may be in need of comfort when they encounter our officers. 

Thanks very much to Aly for her hard work on this project, and for the donation.

Below: Girl Scout Aly Flores and DPD Public Relations Specialist Bruce Frazier with the donated stuffed animals

DPD, DFD Promotions Approved by Public Safety Commission

One Dalton Police Officer and two Dalton Firefighters received promotions at the monthly meeting of the Dalton Public Safety Commission on Tuesday.  Officer Daniel Nicholson was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.  Fire Lieutenant Chris Cantrell was promoted to Captain, and Firefighter III Mike Sloan was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.

Sergeant Nicholson has served the Dalton Police Department for more than 10 years.  He has been assigned as a detective with the DPD’s Drug Unit since 2005.  Sgt. Nicholson holds an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science from Dalton State College and will graduate in May with a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management from Covenant College.  He will be assigned as a supervisor in the Patrol Division.

Captain Cantrell’s promotion fills the void left when Mike Russell was promoted in December to the rank of Battalion Chief.  Cantrell joined the Dalton Fire Department in February of 1993 after serving 5 years with the Whitfield County Fire Department.  He was promoted to Lieutenant in May of 2003.  He’s a POST-certified arson investigator, in addition to holding a varied training background in firefighting tactics, rescue operations, and leadership.  Captain Cantrell also holds National Professional Qualification (NPQ) Certifications in Fire Inspector, Investigations, NPQ Evaluator, Hazardous Materials Operations and Technician Level.

Lieutenant Sloan joined the Dalton Fire Department in February of 1999.  He was promoted to Firefighter III with Battalion 3 since July 2005.  Lieutenant Sloan’s training background includes numerous Strategy and Tactics training, Leadership training, Building Construction, and he is an Incident Safety Officer and a Georgia Smoke Diver. Mike is a member of the Georgia Search and Rescue Team (GSAR) and holds National Professional Qualifications (NPQ) Certifications in Confined Space Rescue, Structural Collapse Rescue, Trench Rescue, Rope Rescue, Instructor 1, and Hazardous Materials Operations Training.

Congratulations to Sergeant Nicholson, Captain Cantrell, and Lieutenant Sloan!

Below: (1st picture, from left) Sgt. Daniel Nicholson poses with Chief Jason Parker after his promotion. (2nd picture, from left) Capt. Chris Cantrell, Chief Bruce Satterfield, and Lt. Mike Sloan pose after their promotions.

DPD Seeks Information on Burglary Suspects

The Dalton Police Department is looking for information on two suspects who broke into the Smart Mart Chevron at 100 North Oaks Drive early on the morning of January 19th.  The individuals left with packs of cigars and cigarettes valued at approximately $100. 

At approximately 1:45 AM on January 19th, the two suspects broke out a glass door with a large rock and entered the store.  One of the two suspects was captured on the store’s surveillance system.  While the image of his face isn’t clear, he appears to be a young white male, wearing a striped hooded and backpack.  The jacket is a distinctive design, and investigators hope that it might be recognized by someone familiar with the suspect. The surveillance images of the man are included below. The two individuals left the store on foot, possibly headed in the direction of Fleming Street across Highway 71. 

The owner of the store is offering a $250 reward for information leading to the successful prosecution of the burglary suspects.  If you have any information on the identity of these individuals or this crime, please contact Detective Greg Bates with the Dalton Police Department at 706-278-9085, extension 137.

DPD Seeks Information in Credit Card Theft Case

The Dalton Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a woman who used a stolen credit card to rack up more than $1,400 worth of fraudulent purchases at area retailers including the Wal-Mart on East Walnut Avenue. 

On January 2nd, a man lost his wallet at the Carmike Cinemas movie theater on East Walnut Avenue.  After reporting the loss to police, he cancelled various credit cards that were left in the wallet.  But, he apparently forgot one Kennesaw State credit card that was left in the wallet, and when he received his statement he found 19 fraudulent purchases totaling $1,413.18.  Some of the purchases were made at the East Walnut Avenue Wal-Mart, and the surveillance system there recorded a white female, approximately 5’2 with dark hair wearing a pink colored shirt and white jacket using the card.  She was also accompanied by two other women and a white male and a black male at various times while she was inside the store.  Her picture is included below.

If you have any information on this crime or the identity of the woman pictured below, please contact Detective John Helton with the Dalton Police Department at 706-278-9085, extension 143.

DPD Officers Make 50-Pound Drug Bust

Acting on intelligence gathered during a month-long undercover investigation by the department’s Drug Unit, officers from the Dalton Police Department arrested four-men and seized approximately 50 pounds of marijuana and 2 ounces of methamphetamine ice on Thursday night after performing a traffic stop on I-75.  The combined street value of the seized drugs is estimated at approximately $100,000.  Agents from the Immigration Customs Enforcement Agency, the Conasauga Safe Streets Task Force, and the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit assisted in the operation.

Arrested on Thursday night were Bryan Torres Montiel, 23; Roberto Diaz Celis, 29; Rodolfo Amaya Gilliano, 22; and Effrain Ruiz Ortiz, 22.  Montiel, Celis, and Gilliano all list home addresses in Albertville, Alabama while Ortiz lists a home address in Crossville, Alabama.

After stopping the vehicle carrying the four men on Thursday night, investigators called in Gordon County’s K-9 drug dog, which alerted on the vehicle.  After securing a search warrant for the men’s vehicle, investigators found the marijuana wrapped heavily in plastic in the back of the men’s SUV.  The substance field-tested positive as marijuana.  The methamphetamine ice was also recovered at the scene.  A picture of the seized drugs is included below.

This incident remains under investigation by the Dalton Police Department’s Drug Unit.  If you have any information on drugs or other crimes in the City of Dalton, you can report that information anonymously to the Dalton Police Department’s Drug Tip Line at 706-278-9085, extension 221.