Rockdale Citizen

CONYERS — The Conyers Police Department is thanking an anonymous caller for a tip that led to the arrests of two burglary suspects in the Hunting Creek subdivision Monday.

CPD officer Chase Pate was dispatched to a robbery in progress Monday at about 1:10 p.m. at 1759 Ridge Court. Pate was alerted that two black men in a green Ford Explorer were leaving the scene. The officer met with the person who had called in the tip and confirmed the location of the Explorer at a nearby townhome. After calling for assistance, the officer questioned two men, Terry Burris-Bent, 19, of Lithonia and John Blackwell, 20, of Conyers, who were leaving the townhome at 1762 Fox Chase Court.

Burris-Bent told the officer that he and Blackwell were told there was an abandoned townhome in the Hunting Creek subdivision and they could make some extra money by removing the appliances. Inside the Explorer Pate saw a stove/oven combination. Officers on the scene also discovered door handles missing from the Ridge Court residence.

“Being alert and aware of your surroundings and suspicious activity taking place in your neighborhood is crucial to helping us do our job,” Police Chief Gene Wilson said. “I commend the citizen who alerted us to this criminal activity and encourage those that feel safe to do so to please report anything that might assist the police in taking criminals off our streets.”

Burris-Bent and Blackwell were charged with first degree burglary and transported to the Rockdale County Jail.