False Police Report Leads to Burglary Arrest

This article was originally posted Aug. 22 at 1:08 p.m.

Loganville Police have apprehended a local man in connection to a number of commercial burglaries in the area. 

According to a news release from Assistant Chief M. D. Lowry, 37-year-old Joseph Newton Wyatt was arrested Tuesday (Aug. 20) and charged with five counts of burglary in the second degree, four counts of criminal trespassing and one count of entering auto.

The burglaries allegedly took place at Phenomenal Auto Center, Loganville Christian Church, Trinity Prep School, First United Methodist Church and Gene's Barber Shop. The trespassing, which reportedly took place at Trinity Prep School, Shepard Staff Thrift Store, Citgo Food Mart and Loganville Vacuum, are related to the property damage, such as broken windows and door glass, with no items reported missing.

"I would like to commend both the criminal investigations and uniform patrol divisions in resolving these cases," said Lowry. "These arrests are the result of solid police work and the teamwork that exists between our patrol officers and detectives. This guy caused a lot of business owners in this town a great deal of heartache over the last couple of months and it is really gratifying, for all of us, to know he is behind bars." 

Items stolen in the burglaries include a TV mounted to the wall at Phenomenal Auto; an amplifier/receiver, a projector, microphones with stands and a wireless microphone system at Loganville Christian Church; a computer and television from Trinity Prep School; and two $300 straight razors from Gene's Barber Shop.

Police were able to connect Wyatt to the burglaries after arresting him in connection to filing a false police report. In that report, he claimed that a man had stolen and pawned his lawnmower after Wyatt left it at a woman's house he was mowing off Old Loganville Road. The homeowner followed the supposed man to the pawn shop and was able to grab a pawn receipt donning the name Brian Simpson. 

When the officer and Wyatt showed up to the pawn shop, the clerk identified Wyatt as Simpson.

Here were other red flags in the incident: Wyatt showed authorities the lawn that he had supposedly partially mowed, but it was evident that the grass had not been cut recently. Additionally, his description of the homeowner did not match how she actually looked.

He was arrested at the pawn shop and transported to the Walton County jail.