VALDOSTA – On December 31, 2018 at approximately 10:45pm, a private citizen was walking his pet in the 2100 block of White Oak Drive when he noticed several pieces of property laying in the front yard of a residence. The citizen also observed a nearby vehicle with the door ajar. The citizen contacted law enforcement advising that he believed the items to have been recently stolen from that vehicle. During the same time frame a subject was reported to have been walking in the same area that was known to not live there and appeared to be avoiding the street lights.

Valdosta Police Officers responded to the area. As officers were searching the area, they located a subject that matched the description from the private citizen. During the investigation, multiple vehicles were found to have been entered illegally and had property stolen from the owners in the surrounding area. The subject who was reported to have been acting suspiciously was found to be in possession of numerous pieces of stolen property. The subject, now identified as Jeremy Rhodes, 32, was taken in custody and transported to the Lowndes County Jail without incident. Rhodes now faces 8 different felony counts of Theft by Entering Auto.

More charges may be forthcoming as investigators continue to examine identical cases in the surrounding area.

“The Valdosta Police Department is grateful to the private citizen who observed evidence of a crime in his neighborhood and reported it immediately,” stated Lt. Adam Bembry. “His assistance helped law enforcement solve several felony cases and he protected his fellow neighbors from becoming additional victims as well, said Lieutenant Adam Bembry.”