Stephens County Sheriff says Sunday’s stolen vehicles were part of multi-county theft ring

Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley has released the details from Sunday’s double grand theft auto case.

According to Shirley, Anthony Christopher Bland, 20, of Homer has been arrested and charged with felony entering an auto and felony theft of an auto.

Hailey Allysa Bland, 18, of Eastanollee has been arrested and charged with giving false statements.

Blain Turpin, 17, of Baldwin has been arrested and charged with entering an auto felony and felony auto theft.

He adds that with the help of investigators and deputies with Jackson County, 19-year-old Jesse L. Arrendado, of Nicholson has also been charged with felony entering an auto and felony theft of an auto.

According to Shirley, this was part of a 3-County theft ring. He says the suspected thieves began their crime spree in Jackson County, leading to Banks and Stephens Counties.

The apparent thieves stole the 2013 Ford Truck in Stephens County and took items back to an unknown location in Jackson County. The thieves generally struck after midnight and would look for vehicles that were unlocked.

Shirley says night shift deputies were called early Sunday morning from a Rock Creek Road residence. The homeowner told deputies that his home security system and surveillance video activated and awakened the homeowner.

He called 911 Dispatch while attempting to catch up to the thieves, who took off in a stolen Mazda; however, the thieves lost control of the vehicle and crashed on Rock Creek Road.

They fled from the vehicle leaving some of the stolen items, as well as the driver’s license of one of the thieves was left in the driver’s seat.

After fleeing on foot, the suspects were picked up by the other unnamed suspected thief in the 2013 Ford pick-up. All four traveled back to the Commerce area and let the unnamed wanted suspect out along with stolen items.

The trio traveled  back to Stephens County where they were seen by a private citizen who had heard about the thefts. He saw the trio in the truck and called 911 while trying to follow them.

As deputies set up a perimeter another private citizen saw the truck abandoned on Pinetree Road. Witnesses saw the trio running through their yards and alerted deputies. A search warrant was secured and all three were arrested at Bland’s residence in Eastanollee. The investigation is active and continues.

WNEG News will continue to follow this story and bring you additional details as they become available.