Wrecker stolen to apparently retrieve truck

Necessity is said to be the mother of invention, but the ingenuity of a suspect in the theft of a wrecker may have compounded his problems.

Gabriel Kaison Martin, 19, was arrested June 15 and charged with two counts of felony theft by taking and a probation violation.

A report of his arrest by Jones County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Matthew Dennis states he received notice at 8:30 a.m. June 15 that a wrecker service rollback loaded with a Chevrolet Silverado had been stolen at 3:30 that morning.

The theft was said to have occurred in Bibb County, but a Flock camera spotted it in Jones County on Griswoldville Road. Dennis said the vehicle on the wrecker was reported to belong to a Jones County resident.

The deputy said the wrecker was later seen removing a Camaro from a wrecker service lot on Highway 49. The driver of the wrecker was seen wearing typical wrecker driver clothing.

The officer said he received information that the Silverado had been impounded by Bibb County after it had been found in the roadway. He was also informed by the owner of the impound lot that a video showed the suspect who took the wrecker go into the impound lot with a gas can and go right to the Silverado.

When the suspect could not get the car started, he got into the wrecker, backed it into the gate and loaded up the Silverado. Dennis said the lot owner did not think the wrecker theft was the suspect’s first priority.

After speaking with the lot owner, Dennis had JCSO dispatch place the vehicles on GCIC as stolen and included a description of the driver. The officer said JCSO Lt. Bobby Gay called him after the information was broadcast to say he saw the wrecker on his way to work loading or unloading a Silverado. Gay told him the driver fit the description given for the driver.

Gay gave Dennis the Macon location, and he went to the area and found the wrecker. The deputy called Bibb County for assistance and conducted a traffic stop on the wrecker when it drove past.

The Camaro was still loaded on the wrecker.

With the assistance of Bibb County Sgt. Garrison Paige, Martin was taken into custody and transported to the Jones County Law Enforcement Center. The Silverado was located where it had been unloaded.

Jones County Sheriff Butch Reece announced the arrest in a June 15 Facebook post.

He said deputies received a lookout for the stolen wrecker rollback truck loaded with the Silverado.

“After further investigation, Deputy Matthew Dennis determined that the Silverado had originally been stolen from Jones County. Deputy Dennis also found that the stolen rollback had been used to steal a Camaro,” Reece said.

As Dennis relayed the information, the sheriff said dispatch Lieutenant Bobby Gay realized that he had seen the rollback unloading the Silverado on his way to work.

Gay relayed the location and Dennis was able to locate all three stolen vehicles.

“Gabriel Martin was found in possession of the rollback and is now facing charges in Jones and Bibb County,” Reece said. “This is another example of the great teamwork within all aspects of the Sheriff’s Office.”