Arrests reported after store looting attempt

 The following is from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department: 

On May 31, 2020, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) addressed concurrent protests and civil disturbances within the downtown district. While mitigating the potential for harm to persons and property in the district, ACCPD received warnings that burglaries may occur at several stores throughout the county. These burglaries were to occur given the erroneous assumption that most of the police department’s resources and personnel would be unavailable to address crimes in progress as officers would be actively assisting in the downtown district.

Given the intelligence that burglaries were likely to occur, and since it is a common practice for thieves to target gun stores during large protest events, ACCPD gave advanced warning to store owners as to allow for items to be secured and mitigate the potential for harm. In addition, ACCPD officers actively monitored potential burglary targets, inclusive of firearms shops, throughout the night.

On June 1, 2020, at 12:44 a.m., while civil disturbances were ongoing, officers were notified of a burglary in process at the Academy Sports + Outdoors (3505 Atlanta Highway). As marked patrol units were already actively monitoring the area, officers were able to quickly disrupt the burglary in progress and observe suspects fleeing the store in a silver sedan traveling at a high rate of speed.

While uniform patrol officers attempted to locate the fleeing sedan, an additional responding officer observed the sedan wrecked and several suspects running into a wooded area adjacent to Timothy Road. After a brief search of the woods, officers were able to locate and arrest 13 suspects. All suspects were transported to the Clarke County Jail and booked on charges of burglary, fleeing and attempting to elude, and damage to property.

There are reports of 13 arrests—11 adults and two juveniles—in the aftermath of an early Monday morning attempt to loot a sporting goods store on Atlanta Highway in Athens. The front glass of Academy Sports was shattered by would-be burglars who were apparently unable to gain access to the store.

A similar attempted break-in, also unsuccessful, happened at a nearby pawn shop on Timothy Road. Police helicopters were hovering over the area in the early morning hours Monday, with the break-in attempts happening while police were busy with downtown demonstrators.