Suspect's slip leads to additional charges | Crime

A shoplifting arrest turns into a two-for-one bust for one Decatur police officer, thanks to his keen memory.. and the suspect accidentally giving up a key piece of information.

Around 7:30 Monday morning, officer Demetrius Hightower responded to a shoplifting case at the WalMart on Spring Avenue. He was told that a white male had left the store without paying for some items. A few minutes later, he found the suspect - 19 year old Corey Barnes in a fast food parking lot with those stolen items.

Barnes was arrested and charged with felony theft.

As Hightower was finishing up the paperwork on that case, he got a call from the LaQuinta Inn on Beltline Road. Hotel managers said someone had broken in to an unoccupied room and stolen some items. Hightower recalled that when he questioned Barnes about the shoplifting, he mentioned that he stayed in the LaQuinta the night before.

Detectives were called in to check out Hightower's hunch, and soon developed enough evidence to charge Barnes with burglary for the motel case.

Barnes is being held in the Morgan County Jail.

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