Lavonia Police Bust Theft Ring at Carry-On Trailers

By Mark Berryman, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

A Martin man is behind bars in Franklin County, charged as part of a theft ring that preyed on Carry-On Trailers in Lavonia.

So far, three of four suspects have been arrested, including a supervisor with the company, according to Lavonia Police Chief Bruce Carlisle.

Carlisle said the department began investigating the case about a month ago with very few leads.

“Approximately one month ago the Lavonia Police Department received information from officials at Carry-On Trailer that there was theft of trailer accessories, in particular jacks and wheels and tires were being stolen from the corporation here in Lavonia with very little else to go on,” said Carlisle.

Carlisle said the officials at Carry-On have been very helpful and are cooperating fully with  the investigation.

“We have been able to uncover the facts, what had occurred in this investigation of the theft at Carry-On Trailers. As a result of the investigation, we determined that the thefts had been occurring for about a one-year period. In essence, there was an employee inside of Carry-On Corporation that was stealing the merchandise and in turn, selling it to outsiders who would distribute it throughout Northeast Georgia and South Carolina,” said Carlisle.

Along with the Carry-On employee, two other individuals have been arrested and one remains at large. The chief said the department is withholding the name of the suspect not yet arrested.

“The employee that works with Carry-On Trailer is John Rodney Mealor. He is 41-years-old and has been a significant employee. He was actually in a supervisory role at Carry-On. He had access to the jacks, tires, accessories and trailers. This side of Carry-On that were selling and distributing the merchandise and were part of the ring, one Matthew Antonio Garcia, 23-years-old, of Lavonia; and William Bradford Howell, 40-years-old, of a Martin address. All three of these individuals named have been brought in. They have all confessed,” said Carlisle.

Carlisle said the investigation is ongoing and as the department and Carry-On work to determine the scope of the theft, additional charges are anticipated as well as the arrest of the fourth suspect.