Sheriff Brown seeks assistance from public on string of residential burglaries

Bulloch County Sheriff Noel Brown held a press conference Thursday morning to discuss a string of residential burglaries taking place in Bulloch County and the surrounding area.

Sheriff Brown took a few minutes at the Sheriff’s Office to discuss a problem that has been growing at an undesirable pace. Brown said upwards of ten burglaries have been reported since May. The incidents began in the area of Highway 46 near the Interstate. The burglaries occur in pairs, two at a time, when a door is kicked in and guns and jewelry are stolen from the home.

Currently, every county touching Bulloch, and even a few beyond, is communicating on a frequent basis for information sharing. All of the surrounding counties have been affected.

In asking for assistance from the public, Sheriff Brown emphasized the need to be aware of your surroundings, your home, and the people passing by. Often times, burglars will scope at a home and even knock on the door to see if someone is home. They may ask questions about the inside of the home, whether or not work needs to be done on the outside of the home, or perhaps just ask for directions. These instances should cause citizens of Bulloch County to pause and question.

But this awareness should not be used as an excuse not to help people, Sheriff Brown said. “Take time to start writing stuff down and communicate with the person. Don’t be scared of them, but just entertain them while someone else calls law enforcement,” he said Thursday morning.

“Be aware of your surroundings and don’t be afraid to call. For so many years, I’ve heard people say, ‘Well I call and you don’t come.’ Well guess what – we’re coming,” Brown said looking into the cameras. “Whether there’s something to it or not, we want you to communicate with us and let us know what’s going on.”

Most importantly: Don’t post when you’re going to be out of town or away on social media.

But if you do leave town, use your neighbors to look in on things and use the Sheriff’s Office program for House Checks, which is shielded from public record. The Sheriff’s Office will look after homes while residents are over town. “Please take advantage of that.”

Additionally, Brown says people need to document their belongings. “Write down the serial numbers, keep them in a safe, and turn on your alarm system. Anything you can do to help yourself.”

You can view the press conference in its entirety in the video below: