Crime Report: Store Employee Accused of Pocketing Cash, Man Runs Over Fire Hose, Copper Wire Snatched and More

Transmissions Taken: A utility shed located in the 1000 block of Laurel Chase Run was reportedly burglarized sometime between June 1 and June 22 and two transmissions, valued at about $1,000 each, were taken. The shed was locked and there was no signs of forced entry.

Tires Damaged: A man told deputies someone came to his West Thompson Street property just before 7 p.m. on June 24 and damaged two tires on a pickup truck that he had repossessed for another man.

Fraudulent Charges in Florida: An Oconee woman reported on June 22 that someone had attempted to use $270.47 from her bank card to reserve a vacation through Hotels.com.  Additionally, unauthorized charges were made for $14.97 at a pizza place in Homestead, Florida, $50 to a wireless company in Miami, and unknown amounts pending to a travel agency and airline.

Jogger's Purse Swiped: On June 23 around 10 a.m., a woman went jogging at .  She told deputies she parked near the paved runners' path and left her vehicle unlocked while she jogged for 45 minutes.  When she returned, her purse, which she had been left on the center floorboard, was missing.  The purse contatined was a wallet, credit cards, debit cards, small bills, a driver's license, checkbook, and makeup.

Cash, Checks Stolen: A resident of a 1400-block home on Arborwood Ridge reported on June 22 $2,000 cash in an envelope was missing from his wife's purse.  A box of checks from the home was also missing, he said. The victim said he and his wife had been sick and several people had entered the home over the last two weeks as caretakers.

GPS and Wallet Taken from Unlocked Car: Sometime between 5 p.m. on June 21 and 6:45 a.m. on June 22, someone entered an unlocked vehicle parked at a 1000 block Cobblestone Drive residence and removed a wallet and GPS device.  Fraudulent charges were subsequently made on stolen cards.

Identify Fraud: An Oconee County resident reported on June 21 that four unauthorized purchases had been made online using the victim's bank card.

Fraudulent PayPal Account: On June 21, an Oconee County resident reported someone had set up a BillMeLater account on PayPal in his name which had been active from March 31, 2012 to May 4, 2012.  He said PayPal was conducting an internal investigation into the matter.

Store Employee Accused of Theft: A loss prevention officer told deputies on June 21 an employee was suspected of stealing $549 in cash in small amounts ($10-$20 each) between May 4, 2012 and June 20, 2012.  The incidents were allegedly documented with video surveillance.  

Ashley Lisa Combahee, 42, of Athens was charged with felony theft by taking on June 21 and released the following day.

Man Runs Over Fire Hose: For allegedly running over a fire hose and driving while unlicensed, an Athens man was booked into the Oconee County Jail on June 20.

According to an incident report, fire units were on US Highway 441 near Thomas Orchard when a brown van ran over the fire hose.  A firefighter reportedly asked the driver to pull over but once the firefighter's attention was back on the fire, the driver left the scene. 

Another firefighter hopped into a rescue truck to follow the van until a deputy could pull the driver over.  The deputy initiated the traffic stop just south of Ga. 15. The driver told the deputy he had seen the fire truck and hose but could not stop in time.  He also told the deputy he did not have a valid driver's license.

Roberto Paul Villanueva-Herandez, 47, of Athens, was charged with driving while unlicensed and driving across a fire hose.  He was released on a bond of $1,715 the same day.

Pedestrian in Roadway: Deputies responded to Old Epps Bridge Road around 1 p.m. on June 20 in response to a report of a pedestrian blocking traffic and yelling at passing motorists.

At the scene, they say they found a woman "unsteady on her feet" and that "her eyes were bloodshot and glassy and her speech was slurred," according to the incident report.  The woman told them she had consumed two 24-ounce beers. She was also carrying a brown bag with two additional beers inside, recently purchased.

The 47-year-old Athens woman was charged with pedestrian under the influence.

Copper Wire Snatched: A representative of Scout Construction reported sometime between 5:30 p.m. on June 19 and 8:30 a.m. on June 20, someone cut about 4 feet of copper wire that had been sticking out of bricks where the crew had been in the process of installing a HVAC units.  It happened at two homes in the 4200 block of Whitlow Creek Drive.  The worker said in order to replace the copper pipes, he'd have to cut into the sheet rock inside the houses and remove bricks from the outside wall.

Riding Lawn Mower Taken: On June 19, a resident of Norton Road reported his Red Toro Z5000 riding lawn mower was taken from his driveway.  The mower was parked in his driveway around 7 a.m. the day before. It's valued at $3,000.

See Oconee Patch .