The holidays are well underway, but apparently crime won't take a vacation.
48 year old Thomas Daniel Green was arrested for burglary and other charges Thanksgiving Day...
That's after Dalton's Police Chief, Jason Parker, noticed some strange behavior while jogging off-duty...and pursued the burglar on foot.
"I left the police department and ran a few blocks down the street and was a little surprised to see a guy cross the street in front me carrying what looked like just a bunch of stuff. I couldn't tell what it was," Parker says.
At 7:30 am, the scene seemed out of place.
Chief Parker says he followed Green down Valley road, and hid and watched as Green burglarized this outbuilding near Thornton Avenue.
A couple walking by called 9-1-1.
With no weapon, handcuffs, not even a cell phone, Parker managed to take Green in to custody.
"I had to make a decision about what to do and I think any officer would have done the same thing, based on everything that I knew, and the fact that I thought at least some help was on the way," Parker says.
Parker says met the officers near the intersection of the last home Green had burglarized. Parker says it's a reminder that during the holidays twinkling lights and a Christmas tree might seem like an invitation to would-be Criminals."Robberies are more prevalent the closer to Christmas you get, so it's always a good idea to pay attention," the Chief says.
Frazier says burglary can happen anywhere, and at any time.
"A lot of people know that families have a lot more stuff in storage sheds and things like that, maybe toys and stuff that are being hidden," Frazier says.
So it's a good idea to lock up whether or not you plan to be home for the holidays.
"This time of year a lot of people go out of town, and burglars are aware of that, too. Just make sure you take that extra couple of minutes, because Chief doesn't jog all over town," Frazier says.
In Dalton, Brittany Shaw, WDEF News 12.
