Man faces 3 more charges of theft

A Summerville man arrested last week and charged in the theft of a Caterpillar vehicle from the Chick-fil-A construction site is now facing three more felony charges from another incident.

According to Rome police reports:

Jeremy Wayne Johnston, 38, of 26 Smith Road, Summerville, is now charged with felony theft by conversion, theft by receiving stolen property and theft by deception. The charges stem from the theft of a Stihl pole saw, valued at $669, from a Chattooga County man which was then pawned at the Floyd County Pawn Shop at 1330 Martha Berry Blvd.

On Thursday, a Rome police officer who was looking into other thefts committed by Johnston was contacted by a detective with Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office. The detective gave the officer the serial number for the pole saw and it was discovered the saw had been pawned.

The officer went to the pawn shop and collected the item, which was picked up Thursday afternoon by the owner.

Johnston is also charged with felony theft by taking, along with misdemeanor theft by taking and two counts of prowling. The charges led to his arrest Aug. 3, after police were able to connect the theft of the Caterpillar vehicle to him. Prior to taking the vehicle, he stole a bicycle from downtown and rode to the construction site on Shorter Avenue.

He remained in jail Friday pending a $9,200 bond.