Suspect leaves tools, gallon of milk behind in botched theft

Catoosa County detectives are investigating an odd entering auto case that resulted in the suspect leaving behind a power tool and a gallon of chocolate milk, police say.

According to the Catoosa Sheriff’s Department, the incident occurred Sept. 24 in the 1600 block of Lafayette Road in Rossville.

The victim told police he witnessed a man with no shirt attempt to steal his vehicle.

When deputies examined the vehicle, a power drill and bits were found to be left behind by the culprit. Deputy Blake Mcbride says a gallon of chocolate milk was also in the passenger seat.

“The Walmart brand chocolate milk was still cold, and there was also a case of cold bottled water,” Deputy Mcbride said. “Metal shavings were all over the floor from where the offender was drilling.”

Another nearby vehicle was also ransacked, but the owner said nothing was taken, reports show.

Detectives were able to coordinate with a nearby business the next day to retrieve video surveillance footage of the incident. That video showed the suspect arriving to the scene of the car lot on a bicycle, and then going car to car trying to gain access to the vehicles, reports show.

The suspect was described as being a white male approximately six-feet tall wearing shorts with no shirt.

Deputies wound up receiving a subsequent complaint from a business a couple of addresses down that reported some food products missing. The business owner told deputies that the milk and water found during the vehicle theft attempt had been stolen from the refrigerator at his business.