Winder police arrest Atlanta man for thefts of heavy-duty trucks

By Joe Johnson

The Winder Police Department has announced the arrest of 28-year-old Xavier Cordel Evans of Atlanta in connection with the thefts of five late-model heavy-duty trucks from the Akins Ford dealership earlier this month.

An investigation began on Feb. 12 when officials from Akins contacted Winder police to report that five heavy-duty Ford trucks with an estimated value of $400,000 had been stolen.

"These are not your ordinary car thieves," Winder Police Chief Jim Fullington said. "This is an organized group or theft ring with specialized technical knowledge and equipment that target expensive late model vehicles that are in high demand for the whole vehicles or their parts.”

The thefts reportedly targeted late-model heavy-duty trucks which required specialized technical knowledge and equipment to bypass vehicles security systems and reprogram electronic ignitions.

A joint effort between a Winder Police detective, a crime analyst, and Akins Ford security quickly produced leads that to Evans being arrested.

"I am proud of the work by Winder police personnel in this investigation," Fullington said. "This case is an example of diligent police work and utilizing various intelligence tools to follow the evidence in an investigation. It also shows the significance of having good working relationships and communications with other law enforcement agencies that can help play a part in furthering an investigation.”

WPD said that after investigators identified Evans as a suspect, Atlanta Police were able to locate him during a traffic stop on Thursday.

The Winder detective traveled to Atlanta on Friday, and with the assistance of Atlanta police executed a search warrant which led to the seizure of evidence that linked Evans to the truck thefts at Akins.

Evans was subsequently arrested and charged with five felony counts of theft by taking a motor vehicle, and was booked into the Barrow County Detention Center.