More Than 40 Guns Stolen From Vehicles, Police Say

COBB COUNTY, GA -- Two people have been arrested in connection to a sweeping string of entering autos that touched down across north metro Atlanta, including Alpharetta and Roswell.

Lawrenceville residents Elisha Ross, 25, and Ayana Forest, 22, were arrested Thursday, July 27 by the Cobb County Sheriff's Office's Fugitive Unit and the U.S. Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, Cobb police said Monday.

Last week's arrest follows a months-long investigation that began in February when three Cobb fire stations, four Smyrna fire stations and GLOCK, Inc. were all the scenes of overnight thefts from autos.

Detectives from Cobb and Smyrna police departments joined forces with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and were able to identify two suspects, Ross and Forest. They were also able to determine that the pair had connections to numerous entering auto and were the primary suspects in those incidents. Evidence unearthed throughout the investigation placed both Ross and Forest at many of the crime scenes.

Incident reports have been collected for entering autos at fire stations and subsequent locations across more than a dozen metro Atlanta counties. Additionally, detectives were able to determine that over 161 vehicles were entered by the two suspects at more than 44 locations. More than 40 firearms have been stolen by Ross and Forest since January, Cobb police added.

Cobb police believe the suspects targeted locations in Bartow, Clayton, Cobb, Douglas, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Henry, Lamar, Rockdale and Walton counties; and the cities of Smyrna, Powder Springs, Acworth, Alpharetta, Cartersville, Griffin, Lawrenceville, Peachtree City, Roswell and Social Circle.

Both Ross and Forest are being held at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center without bond on charges of felony entering auto, felony Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO); and felony burglary. More charges are likely to be added as the investigation continues.

Photo: Elisha Howard Ross. Credit: Cobb County Sheriff's Office