Suspect Named in Clarkesville, Lavonia Burglaries

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia
A high-speed chase in Habersham County leads to the arrest of a former Lavonia man who is a suspect in two pharmacy burglaries, one in Clarkesville and another in Lavonia.

The Clarkesville burglary happened back on April 10 and that burglary was almost identical to one at Riggins Pharmacy in Lavonia recently, said Lavonia Assistant Police Chief Matt London.

“They had video and photos inside of the drug store that was burglarized up there,” London said. “We were able to compare evidence and we believe it is the same suspect as they had up there in Clarkesville.”

That suspect is identified as Octavious Campbell, who is formerly from Lavonia.

Campbell is seen on surveillance video in Clarkesville breaking into that pharmacy in the same way the Riggins Pharmacy was broken into, said London.

“It was almost identical as far as how it happened. A rock was thrown through the door and they went inside and scavenged for narcotics; basically what happened down here. I do know that the type of rock that was used up there is the same type of rock that was left at our scene,” London said.
In both cases, a large rock like the kind used for riprap was thrown through the front glass door of the pharmacies, said authorities.
In the case of the Clarkesville pharmacy break-in, a suspect fitting Campbell’s description can be scene casing the pharmacy the night before the burglary and tampering with the outside electric panel, said London, and while Riggins Pharmacy also has surveillance video, the suspect could not be seen clearly.
In Habersham County, Campbell is charged so far only with fleeing and attempting elude from the high-speed chase.
Both pharmacy burglaries are still being investigated and Campbell has not yet been charged in either, as of last report, said London.