John Oxford
MOULTRIE — Moultrie police are still trying to tie owners to merchandise confiscated Tuesday in a raid on an alleged fencing operation.
Paul Partin, 36, of 1936 Third St. S.E., was charged Tuesday with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Moultrie Police Investigator Cpl. Kim Weissinger said warrants are being sought to add charges of altering or removing a serial number and theft by receiving stolen property.
An informant called in a tip about a possible fencing operation involving stolen items going on at Partin’s house, Weissinger said. Moultrie police officers and investigators made contact with Partin about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and were given consent to search the house.
When investigators saw the amount of items at the house, Weissinger said, they obtained a search warrant to conduct a complete search. Partin was placed under arrest, and investigators recovered a number of items that allegedly were reported stolen.
Among the items recovered were a variety of firearms including shotguns, rifles and handguns, hunting equipment, an E-Z Go gas powered golf cart, jewelry, a variety of knives, coins, a hunting bow and arrow, fishing rods and reels, a digital camera, a pair of night vision goggles, a hunting camera and several arrowheads. The estimated value of all of the items was over $200,000.
“He was always looking for a good deal,” Weissinger said.
Investigators also allegedly found a quantity of methamphetamine and Schedule 2 narcotics along with digital scales, Weissinger said. Partin did not have a lab going in the house, she said, but he allegedly had more methamphetamine at the house than would be found for personal use. She said drug paraphernalia was found throughout the house.
The Moultrie Police Department is currently looking for owners of all of the items recovered, Weissinger said. It was unknown if the items were allegedly only stolen from Moultrie and Colquitt County or came from other areas. The find has allowed Weissinger to identify offenders in at least three burglaries she has been investigating.
Weissinger said the difficulty in locating owners is the lack of knowing serial numbers of the items recovered. She encouraged everyone to document the serial numbers of any and all valuable items should they ever be stolen. Knowing serial numbers greatly increases the chance of a stolen item being returned once it is recovered.
“Protect yourself and your property,” Weissinger said.
Anyone with information about stolen items can contact the Moultrie Police Department at 890-5500 and ask for Weissinger.
