Teen Arrested in Cartersville Entering Auto Incidents

Photo: Rufus Travise Talmadge, 17. Credit: Bartow County Jail

A 17-year-old has been arrested and charged in connection to recent entering auto cases in the Wellington subdivision.

Cartersville Police Chief Thomas Culpepper said investigators with the agency arrested Rufus Travise Talmadge of Cartersville and charged him with two counts of entering auto for the incidents that occurred Feb. 8-9 in the subdivision.

Talmadge was booked into the Bartow County Jail at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 10. According to an incident report released by the police department, an officer was dispatched to Parkview Drive in response to an entering auto report. A woman told the officer someone entered her unlocked vehicle and stole a backpack between 10 p.m. Feb. 8 and 8 a.m. Feb. 9.

The North Face backpack, which is red, black and silver in color, had stationary supplies and an accounting school book on the inside, according to the report. The officer noted there were no signs of force entry on the vehicle.

Culpepper said investigators believe additional thefts may have occurred and have gone unreported. Residents in the area who were victimized are asked to call the police department to file an incident report.