Employee Suspected in Theft from Convenience Store, Auto Entered, and Alleged Shoplifter Charged

Theft investigation - A representative of Racetrac on Monroe Highway recently reported to deputies that an employee is suspected of taking money from three locations.  The full amount missing wasn't known at the time of the report, but it is estimated at more than $1,500. The case is under investigation.

Auto entered - Sometime between 6 p.m. on Dec. 22 and 1 p.m. on Dec. 24, someone entered a vehicle parked at an address in the 1300 block of Old Bishop Road and removed a Ralph Lauren makeup bag, an iPod touch, clothes and groceries.  Two laptops belonging to another victim were also missing.

Items missing from residence - A woman on Dec. 27 reported the theft of several items from her residence in the 5400 block of Colham Ferry Road.  She told deputies she suspects a person known to her who had been staying at the residence to be the culprit.  Missing items include a digital camera, flip phone, perfume, clothing, a touchscreen phone, and two jackets. The theft reportedly occurred sometime between 6 p.m. on Dec. 22 and 1 p.m. on Dec. 24.

Shoplifting suspect arrested - The attempted theft of 5 quarts of motor oil from Wal-mart on Dec. 29 landed an Athens man in jail.  Deputies met with a store security guard around 12:30 p.m. who reported the 42-year-old man was a suspect in another theft and had been barred from other Wal-mart stores.  Neal Larson was charged with theft by shoplifting and the security guard advised he also intends to seek a warrant on a criminal trespass charge. An arrest does not mean a conviction.