According to Adairsville Chief of Detectives Mike Fitz, the first vehicle — an International 4300 box truck — was taken Sept. 16 from Dalton Wholesale Floors on Soho Drive. The truck was loaded with $20,000 in hardwood flooring.
“Between 10:30 p.m. Sept. 25 and 6:30 a.m. on Sept. 26, we had an International 4000 series rollback stolen from Adairsville Towing,” Fitz said. “There was about $15,000 in tools and equipment on the truck.”
The department was contacted late Friday afternoon after authorities in Tennessee busted a commercial vehicle theft ring.
“In conjunction with detectives in Sweetwater, Tenn., Sweetwater Police Department and Meigs County, they located the rollback that had another vehicle on it that was stolen out of Chattanooga, Tenn.,” Fitz said. “One of the offenders is in custody in Tennessee. He has confessed to taking both trucks — he and another suspect that we have not yet located.”
The suspect in custody is from Sweetwater, Tenn., he said, while the other is from nearby Loudon, Tenn.
Tennessee authorities have located the box from the International 4300, although the truck is missing. Fitz said the suspect is cooperating with the area police to locate both vehicles.
The investigation is ongoing, and Adairsville police are holding charges for both suspects.