Wednesday, August 22, 2001
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Wednesday, August 22, 2001 |
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Out of place auto helps solve 'smash and grab' burglaries By JOHN
MUNFORD
An alert police officer in Peachtree City helped solve four "smash and grab" robberies at two stores in the Peachtree East shopping center near the city limits. The officer noticed that after each incident, which occurred late at night dating back to January, a car was parked at a doctor's office in the late night hours, looking out of place, said Lt. Mahlon Donald of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department. "That gave us the break we needed," Donald said. Evidence in the 1988 Nissan ZX was eventually connected to Tash Gaston, 35, of Decatur, who has been arrested for four counts of burglary. Gaston broke into the Wolf Camera and Pro Golf Discount stores at the shopping center by smashing in the windows and grabbing specific merchandise before making a quick getaway, Donald said. "He knew exactly what he was looking for," Donald said. After the last burglary Aug. 10, Gaston had to leave the car behind after the Peachtree City officer discovered it and officers surrounded the area, waiting for Gaston to turn up. He never did, Donald said. Gaston was arrested last week at his Decatur apartment where detectives later found more merchandise that was stolen from the stores, Donald said. The suspect also may be linked to a similar burglary that occurred in 1999 at AIS Computers off Ga. Highway 85 north, Donald said. Gaston was the initial suspect in that burglary, but the case wasn't prosecuted because the evidence wasn't solid enough, Donald added. The new burglary cases may provide additional evidence to charge Gaston with that crime again, Donald said.
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