Madison County man suspected of stealing $4,000 worth of cigars from Athens store
A Madison County man who police said stole more than $4,000 worth of cigars from a store in Athens is expected to be arrested on felony theft charges.
The thefts occurred in December at the Northside Bottle Shop on U.S. Highway 29, where the suspect, a 32-year-old Comer man, was confronted by a store employee on Dec. 30, according to an Athens-Clarke police report filed Jan. 11.
The employee told the suspect to return the cigars or pay for then, but the man did neither, police said.
A security video captured scenes of the suspect inside the cigar room concealing cigars in his pockets, and an investigation showed the man took cigars over five days in December, according to the report.
More: Burglar steals thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes from Piggly Wiggly in Athens
Store employees believe the thefts occurred for a longer period of time as the man is a regular customer, according to the report.
The suspect not only wore a shirt bearing his Jefferson employer’s name, but also drove a company truck, police said.
Numerous brands of cigars were taken, including 86 of the Warped LA Colmena Black Honey cigars valued at $1,633, according to the report.
The officer reported she plans to pursue a felony warrant due to the fact the cigars were valued at more than $500.
The officer contacted the suspect's employer, and by using GPS on the company vehicle, found the suspect had driven to the bottle shop on the dates of the reported thefts.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Comer man suspected in theft of $4,000 in cigars from Athens shop
