On Tuesday, authorities apprehended three women from South Carolina on felony shoplifting charges. They had fled Athens but were eventually caught in Walton County after an alert was issued for their car.
Athens-Clarke police have reported that the suspects were released on bond from jail in Athens on Wednesday. However, they are currently under investigation for thefts of merchandise in Oconee County that happened before the alleged shoplifting at Academy Sports & Outdoors.
At around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, the Sports Academy parking lot off Atlanta Highway became the site of a suspect sighting, prompting the authorities to be notified.
After receiving the car’s tag number, an officer swiftly searched the FLOCK camera system and found that the vehicle had been recorded in Oconee County an hour prior. The tag details were then relayed to neighboring counties, leading to the apprehension of the three women when deputies in Walton County made a traffic stop and took them into custody.
According to the police, three residents of Greenville, S.C., aged 23, 28, and 26, were discovered to have over $1,000 worth of merchandise, primarily clothing from Sports Academy.
Police have stated that the car has been impounded by Walton County due to the significant amount of merchandise found in it. A search warrant will be required to collect the stolen property, and until then, the car will remain impounded.
According to Capt. Vic Green, a sheriff’s officer in Oconee County, deputies will accompany the search of the car to confirm whether any of the merchandise was stolen from stores in the county. This could potentially result in additional charges.
The officer’s report states that the Athens-Clarke police detectives will be pursuing the case and conducting further investigations.
The Senate hearing, led by Ossoff, delved into the mistreatment of pregnant women in prisons. The focus was on the inhumane treatment of women behind bars and the impact it has on their health and the health of their unborn children. The hearing shed light on the need for reform in the prison system and the urgent need to address the mistreatment of incarcerated women.
Athens Sports Academy felony shoplifting charges have been filed against three South Carolina women, as reported by Athens Banner-Herald.
