Items Stolen from Church, Schools Found in Home Crawl Space

A deputy with the Cherokee Sheriff's Office performing a routine task helped locate electronics allegedly stolen from two school districts and items used by a Woodstock church to help the needy.

Deputy Jeremy Driskell, who was serving court papers at a home on Sugar Pike Road, discovered an enclosed trailer, which matched the description of one that was reported stolen from North Central Area Mission Church, Sheriff's Office Spokesman Lt. Jay Baker said on Wednesday. 

Driskell ran the trailer's license plate number, which confirmed it was the same trailer, and investigators arrived onto the scene to execute a search warrant of the property. 

In a crawl space of the house, Baker said deputies discovered generators, nail guns, drills, saws and other miscellaneous tools, which were used by the church to build structures for less fortunate residents. 

Detectives also found inflatable jump houses and popcorn machines, which the church used at special events; and electronics such as laptops and palm pilots that appear to belong to the Douglas and Gilmer County school districts. Digital projectors and other electronics believed to be stolen were also found at the home.

Baker said the homeowner and suspect in the crime, Thomas Allen Reeves, 38, of Woodstock, was arrested on Oct. 26 and remains behind bars with no bond at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center on unrelated charges.

Charges for the recovered property have not been filed, "as detectives continue to sort through the property that was taken from Reeves' home," he added.