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2008-05-29  MORE TOP STORIES | Suspects lead Forsyth, Dawson police on seven-hour manhunt
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| | | (LOGAN THOMAS/Forsyth Herald) (click for larger version) | |
June 10, 2008
FORSYTH COUNTY — Police say six suspects alleged to be some of the "Blue Jean Bandits" who specialize in stealing pricey jeans in smash-and-grab burglaries are all buttoned up now.
Five men and one woman are in custody in Dawson County after a seven-hour manhunt in Forsyth County June 9 that followed an alleged botched burglary at a Dawson County clothing store. Four of the suspects were caught in the manhunt, and two others were believed to be actively trying to help them escape.
Police say James E. Burson, 48, of Atlanta; Altavious D. Jackson, 23, of Atlanta; Abby Holland, 26, of Norcross; Jermichael J. Lockett, 19, of Conley; Demarqs Allen, whose age has not been determined; and a 17-year-old were all involved in the early morning burglary attempt on Saks Fifth Avenue at the North Georgia Premium Outlets and subsequent manhunt.
Discovering their exact identities has reportedly been tough for police, as nearly all of them allegedly gave false names and ages to investigators.
They all face charges of conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to commit theft by taking and conspiracy to commit second degree criminal damage. Jackson, Lockett, Allen and the 17-year-old are also facing weapons charges and theft of the stolen 2000 Dodge Caravan used in the attempted burglary.
Lt. Tony Wooten, a spokesman for the Dawson County Sheriff's Office, said Holland and Burson were believed to have been assisting the four suspects in their escape from the manhunt and were arrested separately. He would not elaborate on where or when they were arrested, or how they might be tied to the case.
He also said Allen was suspected of being the driver of the van and had allegedly given his age as 16. As such, he was taken to juvenile court, where it was determined he was actually an adult.
The manhunt began shortly after 5:20 a.m. after the van the group was driving wrecked on Ga. 400. The suspects fled from the vehicle Forsyth County after deputies deployed "stop strips," blowing out the tires. The first suspect was taken into custody around 9 a.m., said Wooten. He was found in a wooded area around Pilgrim Mill Road, he said.
The last three suspects were taken into custody on Ga. 9 around noon after a local business employee reported seeing them.
The three men were arrested without incident outside Banks Septic Tank Service on Ga. 9 after an employee there, Stephanie Gravitt, called police while another employee, Chad Turkett, spoke with the suspects.
"It was kind of funny," said Gravitt. "I had heard it on the radio and talked about it here in the office. I've got my blinds open and have been watching all day long."
Gravitt's sister works at the Forsyth courthouse and had given her descriptions of the suspects.
Just before noon another employee walked in the office and said, "You'll never guess who's walking down the road."
"I thought he was just joking," she said.
"Lo and behold, I saw one of them come out and the other two following – I had the police on the phone."
Turkett walked outside to speak with the men. They asked for water and a phone, which he refused. Gravitt said they tried to bribe him with money to let them in, but he turned them away.
The men were picked up minutes later by Forsyth deputies while walking north on Ga. 9.
"I think that they were pretty wore out," said Gravitt.
"They didn't come running up, they weren't scared. I guess they thought they'd just walk up nonchalantly and ask for water and it wouldn't be suspicious."
That anticlimactic arrest ended a manhunt that began shortly after 5 a.m., when a security guard at the outlet mall reported a suspicious sliver Dodge van parked outside the Saks Fifth Avenue store.
Wooten said the security guard confronted the men, who hadn't yet entered the store. Two Dawson Sheriff's deputies arrived, and the suspects fled down Ga. 400.
Forsyth County Sheriff's deputies put out road spikes and had set up a cordon in the area bounded by Pilgrim Mill Road, Antioch Road and Ga. 306. They were not able to get out.
Special units, bloodhounds and a helicopter all joined the search.
 View all images (4 not shown here).
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