Crime Report: Anonymous Valentine Placed in Dog Owner's Mailbox Hints At Mistreatment of Animals

 A man who lives on Grayson Lane told deputies someone has been calling animal control about his dogs.  Animal Control has responded twice but found no issues with the man's dogs either time, he said. 

The man has also been receiving unsolicited mailings from Dogs Deserve Better, an animal rights group that can help dog owners pay for fencing, the deputy noted in the report.  The dogs' owner rents and is unable to add fencing to the yard, he said.

On Feb. 14, the man said he received an anonymous valentine in his mailbox that read, "Don't break my heart, break my chain."  The man said he is concerned about the mailings. 

The responding deputy noted he did not find any evidence of mistreatment of the animals.

Here is a summary of other incidents reported Feb. 10- 15:

Criminal Trespass: A resident of Pete Dickens Road told deputies she arrived home on Feb. 15 to find a man she believed was a neighbor standing on her property near her fence holding a small pair of metal shears.  When the woman spoke to the man she says he got back into his vehicle and drove away.

Bad Check:  On Feb. 15, a  Bishop man reported he cashed a $312 check given to him by a former tenant that was returned for insufficient funds.

Shoplifting: On Feb. 14, Deputies responded to where store security officers said a 42-year-old Athens woman had tried to walk out of the store without paying for several items collectively valued at $75.

Forgery: A Watkinsville man reported having written his ex-wife a check for $7.55 and, in October 2011, it was cashed in the amount of $70.55.  The bank returned the money, but the man wishes to file criminal charges in Oconee County, where his ex-wife resides.

Fight: After a fight at Walmart on Feb. 14, Jacqueline Denise Kelley, 45, of Athens, was arrested on one count of battery, and two other women -- Keitra Suzann Taylor, 25, of Athens and Tiffany LaShawn Stevens, 30, of Crawford -- were each charged with affray.  All are misdemeanor offenses. Kelley was released on a $5,000 bond and Taylor and Stevens posted $500 bonds, according to jail records.

Warrant Arrest: Deputies executed a warrant at a location in the 8800 block of N. Marcon Highway on Feb. 13.  Douglas McArthur Beavers, Jr., 47, of Nicholson, was arrested on two counts of aggravated stalking, theft by taking, and criminal attempt to commit a crime. As of Thursday morning, Feb. 16, he remained in the jail.

Burglary: An Xbox 360, video games, two BB guns, a .22 rifle and a two-tattoo gun kit were taken from a home in the 1900 block of Rays Church Road sometime between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Feb. 13. A resident said he was home at lunchtime and everything was fine but when he returned from work later in the day, he found his door had been forced open.

Cruelty to animals: A husband and wife who live on Rogers Road reported a tenant who rents a trailer on the property came near their trailer and beat their dog with a plastic garden rake.  The dog is a 3-year-old, medium-sized black and white Jack Russell Terrier mix named Sweet Pea.  The dog was hiding under a bed when the deputy was at the home, but the wife said she did not believe the animal was injured; she thinks the dog was just scared. The suspect had fled the scene on foot.

Theft: On Feb. 13, a woman living in the 1000 block of Thornwell Court reported her deceased husband's solitaire ring was missing from a jewelry box in her bedroom.  The theft is believed to have occurred sometime since September 2011.

Bullying: Deputies met with a mother and daughter on Feb. 13. at Malcom Bridge Middle School. The mother said her daughter has been harassed for "some time now" and most recently was pushed in the hallway.  The girl said she is afraid to go to school.  School officials have been notified.  For now, the mother and daughter said they do not plan to file juvenile complaints; they just want the bullying to stop.

Fight: Two men were reportedly fighting at a residence in the 1500 block of Jerusalem Road on Feb. 13 about 3 a.m. One of the suspects from the fight was later arrested at a Hight Drive location on charges of tampering with evidence and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. The other man had not been charged as of Thursday, Feb. 16.

Missing Manhole Cover: A neighbor noticed a manhole cover missing from a drainpipe in the 1100-block of Willowynd Way on Feb. 12. The Oconee County Road Department was notified.

Criminal Trespass: A teenage girl and her friend told deputies they were home alone at a Bent Creek Road residence on Feb. 10 when they heard a knock on the back door and someone entered.  The girls, who had locked themselves in a bedroom, say they heard multiple people talking to each other inside the residence.  Deputies arrived to find the garage door open along with an entrance door from the garage to the kitchen open.  The girls were found safe in a back bedroom and the house was cleared.  Nothing appeared to be missing and no suspicious persons or vehicles were found in the neighborhood. 

Harassing Calls: A Bogart man came to the Oconee County Sheriff's Office on Feb. 10 to report having received harassing calls to his grandfather's residence regarding a custody issue. 

Threats: On Feb. 10, a Watkinsville man told deputies someone known to him made statements that caused him to fear for his safety, the safety of his family and the safety of his company's property.  The threats allegedly occurred at a while at a location on South Macon Highway.

Financial Transaction Card Fraud: Mail stolen from a Madison County woman's mailbox was used to open a credit card in the victim's name.  The credit card was later used at Wal-Mart in Oconee County and several places in Clarke County, according to an incident report.  The fraudulent transactions reportedly took place between Nov. 1-30 2011.