Friday, August 30, 2002
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Friday, August 30, 2002 |
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PTC officer arrests burglary suspect at gunpoint in bar By JOHN
MUNFORD
Peachtree City Police caught a suspected serial burglar red-handed early Thursday morning as he struck another commercial business in the city. George Keithahn, 33, of Peachtree City was arrested at gunpoint by Cpl. Gary Meier inside the Hangar 74 bar on Ga. Highway 74 north around 5:30 a.m. Thursday, according to Police Chief James Murray. Keithahn is suspected in at least another 10 local commercial burglaries in the past year, and in others reported in Fairburn, Coweta County and Fulton Counties, Murray said. In each of the local burglaries Keithahn is suspected of committing, he "almost always" got away with cash, Murray said. Police believe Keithahn would target businesses he frequented which either didn't have burglar alarms or didn't set their burglar alarm system. "He has an extensive criminal record," Murray said. "... We were fortunate that we did catch him." As of press time Thursday, Keithahn was charged with two felony counts of burglary for the Hangar 74 incident and a nearby restaurant, Augustino's, Murray said. The arrest came during a special surveillance of local business areas, and Murray said police were fortunate to make the bust. Police confiscated Keithahn's vehicle and planned to execute multiple search warrants in several different jurisdictions, Murray said. Area police agencies have been collaborating on the matter for some time, and the work finally paid off, Murray noted.
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