By Fred Guarino
The Lowndes Signal

A Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office auto theft investigation has resulted in the arrest of a Montgomery man on four counts of receiving stolen property and falsifying recycling documents in Dallas County.

Lowndes County Investigator Marcus Green said a suspect, Antonio Marcus Coleman, 26, of Montgomery, was picked up in Mosses and transferred to the Dallas County Jail.

Green said there were several auto thefts in the Burkville and Hope Hull areas between the first of the year and Jan. 20.

“Individuals were riding around during the daytime hours and finding vehicles which may or may not be working and then they would come back and get them during the daytime whenever people weren’t around,” Green said.

He said the thefts occurred off Lowndes County Road 37, Frederick Douglas Road, Mason Road and a location in Mosses.

He said there were a total of six stolen vehicles.

Green said an investigation along with Police Chief Tommy Buford of Mosses led to a scrap yard (Coastal Recycling LLC) in Selma, which he said provided documentation that helped lead to the arrest of Coleman.

“We were able to secure warrants on Mr. Coleman with the assistance of the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office for the receipt of stolen property” for four of five vehicles recovered and identified, Green said.

Green said new recycling laws required Coleman to sign a form for each vehicle he allegedly turned in for scrap, certifying that he is the lawful owner of the vehicle.

He said falsifying the recycling document is a Class C felony.

Green said Coleman also faces charges for falsifying of recycling documents, and all the warrants will be issued by Dallas County.

He explained that Coleman is being prosecuted on four of the five vehicles “due to the fact we able to recover a 1963 bread truck, but the owner was unable to identify it. It had already been crushed.”

However, Green said, “ The investigation is still ongoing.”

Coleman is currently being held in the Dallas County Jail on $45,000 in bonds.