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By Fred Guarino
The Lowndes Signal
An observant citizen’s report has led to the arrest by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department of two men who were allegedly stealing wiring from an abandoned church in Hope Hull on Friday.
Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office Investigator M. V. Green reported the arrests for burglary and theft, both in the third degree, Monday.
Green said that on Friday, May 9 at about 3:30 p.m., a citizen reportedly saw a vehicle parked on the side of the road in front on an old abandoned church in the 4600 block of Mason Road in Hope Hull.
He said the citizen reportedly asked the person standing outside if they had car trouble, to which, Green said, the person is said to have responded that he had somebody on the way to assist him.
As the citizen started to pull away, Green said, he reportedly noticed a black male exit the front door of the church, allegedly “carrying a hack saw as well as several items of wiring from the interior and exterior of the church.”
Green said the citizen called 911 and reported where he was and stated that he two individuals who had allegedly broken into an abandoned church.
“The Lowndes County Sheriff Office responded,” Green said. “Sgt. Ed Jones of the patrol division immediately responded and was able to take the two individuals into the custody,” Green said.
He said the two were later identified as George Ware, 56, of Montgomery and James Bowie, 62, of Hope Hull.
Green said the two were arrested on the scene for burglary in the third degree and theft of property in the third degree and that the owner of the land and church responded and agreed to prosecute the two individuals.
Green said the two were transported to the John Hulett Detention Facility where warrants were signed on them and where they remained in jail as of Monday.
He said, “The citizens being more aware of their surroundings and being willing to contact the police” was the reason the Sheriff’s Office was able “to take these two individuals into custody.”