Milledgeville burglary suspect caught hiding under homeowner’s bed

“I didn’t know what had happened,” said Clayton Johnson. “I got here and pulled up in my driveway, I saw police cars all around here.”

Police started investigating the home burglaries in the Riverview subdivision two weeks ago, according to Milledgeville Police Major John Davis.

That all came to an end when Officer Donnie Roland responded to a suspicious person call on Twin Pine Road Monday. Roland says he was patrolling in the area when he got the call around 1:02 p.m. Within a couple of minutes he was at the scene.

Davis says Officer Roland found the burglary suspect hiding under Johnson’s bed.

“I walked to the rear of the house,” said Roland. “I noticed an open window with curtains hanging out and I backed off.”

He called for back up. Once officers arrived, they went inside the home.

“We were able to clear the residence and found the suspect hiding under the bed,” explained Roland.

That suspect has been identified as Rodrico James Palm. Palm has confessed to breaking into four homes, according to Major Davis.

A neighbor who didn’t want to identify herself said she dialed 911 when she saw Palm walking around the house.

“We look out for one another,” she said. “We really do and I knew him being over there, he was out of place. He should not have been at that house, especially with no one home. So that’s why I called the police.”

According to Davis, detectives have connected Palm to a string of burglaries on the south side of the city because he immediately pawned most of the items he stole.

Palm is accused of stealing several items from the homes, such as flat screen TV’s, video games, and money.

“We have connected the property to another burglary Monday evening,” Davis explained. “Detectives came in Tuesday morning and have now connected him to four burglaries and another in the county.”

Johnson says he’s grateful officer Roland was vigilant in catching the thief inside his home.

“They say he had three knives on him. I could’ve walked in on him.” said Johnson. “He could’ve stabbed some of us. Milledgeville Police do a great job around here. I’m so proud of them for catching him.”