Regional Roundup: Use of Bath Salts Continues, Viral Police Recruiting Video and Professional Shoplifters

-- Lawrenceville Patch

Reports of people allegedly under the influence of bath salts continue to make headlines.  

Bath salts are a synthetic drug that were once sold in gas stations, but were placed under an emergency ban last month. It is a stimulant powder containing amphetamine-like chemicals.

Most recently, Gwinnett County Police were called to the scene of a and ate his own feces.  

That story came just days after news broke out about , was tasered 14 times when police found him running rampant around a Norcross-area driving range. He threatened to start eating people, in addition to showing superhuman strength. 

Two officers from the Gwinnett Vice and Intelligence Units currently serve undercover to find where the drugs are being sold. Increased training will take place on bath salts and what to look for in suspects.

– Decatur-Avondale Estates Patch

Decatur received lots of online attention lately when bloggers compared the officer recruiting videos of the Decatur and Newport Beach, Calif., police departments.

Decatur comes off as a warm and cuddly place. Newport Beach looks like a war zone.

It started when The Agitator posted the comparison. It went viral after sites such as Boing Boing linked to it.

Some readers were surprised that Decatur was portrayed as Mayberry and Newport Beach as Afghanistan.

Read more on .

– Dunwoody Patch

Dunwoody Police are asking residents for help locating a man suspected to be working with a professional shoplifter who has hit the Ulta and Target stores in town.

The unknown suspect, caught on surveillance video, is suspected to work with a professional shoplifter named Hasaani Chyna Norwood. In addition to being wanted in connection to the local thefts, the pair are also wanted in other jurisdictions.

They are suspected of stealing large amounts of clothing and beauty products from retail outlets.

Visit for more on this story.

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