VALDOSTA – On August 4, 2017 at approximately 5:45 a.m., a call for emergency assistance was received by Lowndes County Dispatch. The 911 caller advised dispatch that he witnessed two subjects break out a window to an apartment and enter inside.

The caller advised that it appeared as though the intruders were wearing masks. Multiple Valdosta Police Units responded to the scene and confirmed that an apartment had been forcibly entered. The apartment was surrounded and officers reported seeing movement inside the apartment. Multiple verbal commands were given to the two intruders, later identified as Titus Coleman and Devante Tooley, to surrender themselves. One of the offenders made a brief attempt to flee on foot but was taken into custody immediately.

The subsequent investigation revealed that both entered into the apartment forcibly with tools that were on their person when arrested. It was discovered that Tooley already had four warrants out for his arrest prior to today’s incident. Both were taken to the Lowndes County Jail where they face multiple additional charges:

Titus Coleman:

• Burglary (FELONY)
• Obstruction of a Law Enforcement Officer (Misdemeanor)
• Criminal Trespass (Misdemeanor)

Devante Tooley

• Burglary (FELONY)
• Possession of Tools for the Commission of Crime (FELONY)
• Criminal Trespass (Misdemeanor)

*Previous Outstanding Arrest Warrants for Tooley:

• Violation of Probation x’s 2 out of Lowndes County
• Violation of Probation out of City of Valdosta
• Bench Warrant for the City of Remerton
• State Arrest Warrant out of Lowndes County

“The Valdosta Police Department is thankful of the private citizen who saw an obvious burglary in progress and called 911. The call resulted in the offenders being caught red-handed. It should be noted that since August 2nd, citizen participation has assisted the Valdosta Police Department in the arrest of six different offenders for crimes occurring within the Valdosta City Limits,” said VPD Lt. Adam Bembry.