Investigators said someone pried open a window at the police department and then pried open the door to the evidence room. Once inside, the person tampered with evidence and they may have taken something, officials said.
Officers said they will not know exactly what was taken until they complete an audit.
Channel 2 Action News reporter Tom Jones went to the police department Tuesday while GBI agents were on the scene gathering evidence.
McDonough Police Chief Preston Dorsey told Jones he didn’t think it was an inside job, but the person was familiar with the building because he knew where the un-marked evidence room was.
“I (have) been in this business for about 25 years and I think this is the first time I’ve ever heard of a police department being broken into,” said Dorsey.
The crime has some residents astonished.
“Oh my God. That is crazy,” said resident Aniya Williams.
“That’s just completely and totally nuts,” said business owner Scott Evans.
Officers said they are checking surveillance cameras from surrounding businesses to see if their cameras caught the person on tape. Agents said they are also interviewing staff members.
The McDonough Police Department closes its administrative side at 5 p.m. Dorsey said officers to come in and out after 5 p.m. to write reports or to interview people. For the most part, though, the building remains empty after hours.
“It appears they came and hid behind these bushes and pried that lock open or that window,” said Dorsey.
When Jones asked Dorsey why someone would want to break in to the evidence room, he said he didn’t know but would find out.
