BROOKS COUNTY —
Brooks and Lowndes County investigators have connected a man and a woman to 13 residential burglaries in Lowndes County and the pair have reportedly confessed to other home invasions in Echols, Cook and Lanier counties.
Stephen Michael Lenz, 24, of Burnsville, N.C. and Melody Marie Pollard, 33, of Quitman, were arrested last Thursday, the result of a joint operation between the Lowndes and Brooks County sheriffs’ offices.
Lenz was arrested after abandoning a vehicle and attempting to escape Lowndes County deputies on foot, according to reports. A small quantity of cocaine was discovered on Lenz’s person when officers caught up with him.
Subsequent meetings with Lenz and Pollard revealed two locations where stolen property had been sold, reports stated. A search of the two transaction areas led to the recovery of property lost in home invasions in both Lowndes and Brooks Counties.
Both Stephen Lenz and Melody Pollard have been detained at the Brooks County Jail on charges in that county, reports stated. Arrest warrants for burglary in the first degree have been issued and the pair will be brought to Lowndes County in the near future, reports stated.
Additional arrests are possible as this investigation moves forward, according to Lowndes County Sheriff Chris Prine who has asked that anyone with information related to these crimes contact the Sheriff’s Office at {229} 671-2950.
Local News
Burglary suspects caught
Investigators: Pair linked to 13 incidents in two counties
- Local News
-
-
Easter Seals benefit Thursday
Easter Seals Southern Georgia will be hosting “Sweet Charity: Desserts for a Cause” Thursday at Mathis Auditorium. The event will be from 7 to 9 p.m. and will include several local restaurants serving dessert as well as a silent auction.
-
Dollar General robbed at gunpoint
A customer and two employees were unharmed during a Sunday evening robbery as two masked men demanded cash from registers and the business’ safe as the Dollar General on Bemiss Road prepared to close at around 11:30 p.m., according to reports from the Valdosta Police Department.
-
Overpass work causes detours
All vehicles which are not making a delivery in the immediate vicinity of the new overpass will have to find alternate routes immediately.
-
Crossing guard keeping kids safe
Meet Merita Williams, crossing guard.
-
Juneteenth’s coming
Held in just as high a regard as the celebration of our country’s independence to many, the county’s annual Juneteenth dinner returns this Tuesday at 7 p.m. for its 21st year and will offer citizens of all races with a central point to celebrate human rights.
-
A soldier called preacher
In Vietnam, Wesley Harrell spread the Lord’s word among his fellow soldiers. He spoke of God often though few seemed to listen until they encountered war’s sudden death.
-
History on the move
In the right hands, a divided house can again mount a sound foundation and settle into a new era, as proved on Saturday when the 100 Black Men of Valdosta unveiled a transplanted house that’ll likely serve as their headquarters at its Martin Luther King Jr. Drive location.
-
Beach Safety: Keeping safe with fun in the sun
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second story in a weekly series on summer safety.
-
Ribbon cutting held for Joan Bailey Center
The Community Depot has opened the doors of its newest non-profit retail center, which was dedicated Friday to and named in honor of former Valdosta State University First Lady Joan Bailey.
-
Kendrick Johnson’s body exhumed
The family of a deceased Lowndes High School student had his body exhumed Friday morning from Sunset Hills Cemetery as relatives continue the process of acquiring a second autopsy.
- More Local News Headlines
-



