A Hiawassee man's crime spree has come to an end after a coordinated effort among multiple law enforcement agencies led to his arrest. According to the Hiawassee Police Department, the individual responsible for a series of burglaries and the theft of more than 20 guns was nabbed—with inter-agency collaboration playing a pivotal role in solving the case.
James Daniel Leech, known for a string of burglaries in the Hiawassee area, was taken into custody following a tip-off from the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office in South Carolina, as detailed in a FOX5 Atlanta report. "And immediately we were able to identify this guy," said Hiawassee Police Chief Jeremy Parker. A search warrant executed at Leech’s residence unveiled not only items from the South Carolina burglary but also a treasure trove of illegally obtained weaponry.
Leech's crimes extended beyond theft, involving illegal hunting of local birds of prey. An investigation uncovered numerous feathers from native birds, leading to 19 counts of illegal hunting being filed against him. The discovery of the stolen guns provided a breakthrough for Cobb County Police. "We ran those, and they ended up coming back stolen out of Cobb County. So, we immediately contacted the Cobb County Police Department and were able to get a hold of their investigator," Parker added, as reported by FOX5 Atlanta.
These guns were linked to two separate burglaries at a home in Cobb County, initially reported on March 17, and a subsequent theft weeks later on April 8, documented by security cameras installed by the homeowner after the first incident. "There were 22 weapons that were stolen out of two separate burglaries. So we were very proud to be able to take some of those guns back off the street," Parker told FOX5 Atlanta. In a separate article, WSB-TV reported that Leech was charged with two counts each of burglary and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, among other charges.
Leech’s spouse, Caitlin Robertson, was also implicated in the crime spree. She was arrested on charges including theft by receiving stolen property and has since been released on bond. Now facing a litany of charges, the fall of such prolific burglars underscores the significance of collaborative law enforcement efforts in bringing culprits to justice for crimes that had left communities on edge.
