Bibb County Sheriff’s Office Finishes Metal Theft Task Force, Gives Results

Bibb County Sheriff Jerry Modena and Chief Deputy David Davis, flanked by their task force team, gave the results of their three month Metal Theft Task Force Operation.

The task force was put together to work exclusively on metal theft cases. The five officers on the force worked nine weeks to help slow down and deter the number of thefts occuring where metal was being stolen.

Sheriff Modena said the number of thefts had been steadily increasing when the price of copper started getting higher.

Starting in the last week of July and finishing the final week of September, the team put together some astounding numbers.

• 73 arrests made
• 48 arrest warrants obtained
• 49 illegally operated vehicles impounded
• 181 traffic stops
• 145 citations written
• 12% reduction in metal theft reports

Most metal thefts involved air conditioning units outside businesses and homes.

Lead investigator, Lt. George Meadows, said they concentrated their efforts in North Bibb County and in the Mercer University Corridor around the commercial areas.

Meadows suggests residents and business invest in an alarm system, or put up fencing around their A.C. units to help keep thieves away.