By Melanie Ruberti

 

Melanie.ruberti@lagrangenews.com

 

 

TCSO seizes stolen items worth thousands of dollars

 

Investigators arrest man suspected in multi-county thefts

 

 

LaGRANGE- Investigators with the Troup County Sheriff’s Office hit pay dirt when they served Quintavious L. Gray, 21, a search warrant for his home on North Kight Drive late Tuesday afternoon.

 

TCSO, plus investigators with the LaGrange Police Department and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, walked into the two-bedroom house and immediately discovered a pile of semi-automatic rifles stacked in the corner of the room.

 

The home was filled with piles of smaller guns, knives, laptops, cellphones, televisions, purses, ammunition, hunting gear, cross bow, lawn equipment, backpacks, social security cards, driver’s licenses and even a recently purchased baby doll, said TCSO Chief Investigator Capt. Mike Caldwell.

 

All of the items were reportedly stolen by Gray and potentially at least three other accomplices over a span of six months, Caldwell stated.

 

“It took truck loads to get everything out of the home,” he said.

 

Included in the confiscated items was a 50 caliber rifle and a military assault rifle worth an estimated $7,000, according to Caldwell.

 

Gray was immediately arrested by TCSO investigators and did not try to hide how all the merchandise came into his possession, Caldwell stated.

 

“He did confess to being the mastermind (of crimes),” the chief investigator said. “He confessed to committing more than 1,000 entering autos … in the past five to six months.”

 

The thefts occurred throughout Troup, Harris, Coweta and Meriwether counties, Caldwell said.

 

Gray also reportedly hit vehicles and homes within the cities of LaGrange, Newnan and Senoia, according to Caldwell.

 

“He (Gray) informed us he targeted vehicles in neighborhoods where there would be a lot of boating and hunting enthusiasts,” Caldwell recounted. “He (Gray) said he would approach vehicles late at night … early morning … like 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. … he would look inside and see if there was a laptop or cellphone sitting out.

“He (Gray) would only go into cars that were unlocked,” Caldwell continued. “He didn’t want to break the glass to the windows … he didn’t want to increase his chances of getting caught … this is why we (TCSO) encourage people to lock their car doors and don’t leave their windows down.”

 

Gray allegedly targeted cars and homes along the Roanoke Road corridor, Caldwell said.

 

For more than five months, Gray was successful in his alleged criminal method of operation.

 

The 21-year-old’s stealing streak abruptly came to an end on Tuesday after TCSO investigators received information Gray was in possession of high dollar rifles and a large cache of weapons.

 

Capt. Caldwell estimated the agency seized around $75,000 worth of items from Gray’s home.

 

He also believes there was more stolen goods that came through the front doors of the suspect’s house. Those items have more than likely already been pawned or sold, Caldwell said.

 

“Still, it’s good to get him (Gray) off the streets,” stated Caldwell. “… this was a good investigation.”

 

TCSO investigators are still drawing up charges against Gray. Caldwell said the man will face “numerous felony charges.”

 

Gray will also face charges in other jurisdictions where he allegedly committed crimes.

 

The 21-year-old man was out on bond for making terroristic threats when he was arrested on Tuesday.

 

Gray remains in the Troup County Jail without bond.

 

More arrests in the crime spree are pending, Caldwell said.

 

After the stolen items are identified by other law enforcement agencies, TCSO will attempt to contact victims and return the merchandise to the rightful owners, Caldwell stated.

 

Melanie Ruberti is a reporter with LaGrange Daily News. She can be reached at 706-884-7311, ext. 2156.