On August 8, 2020, at approximately 4:25 PM, Valdosta Police Officers responded to Belks at the Valdosta Mall, for a report of a subject shoplifting. When the officer arrived on the scene, he made contact with a loss prevention officer for Belks, who reported that Brandon Spires had concealed a pair of socks, valued at $26 in his waistband. As the officer began to take Spires into custody, he located a handgun and a paper bag, that contained 28.3 grams of Methamphetamine, from Spires pockets. Spires physically pushed the officer out of the way in an attempt to avoid arrest, but the officer was able to grab a hold of him and take him into custody. Spires was transported to Lowndes County Jail, where he was charged with:
- Shoplifting-misdemeanor
- Obstruction of an officer-felony
- Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon-felony
- Possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony-felony
- Trafficking in Methamphetamine-felony
“Our officer did a great job controlling the offender and ensuring that he was taken into custody. This is good example of how our officers may be responding to one type of call, but it can quickly change when they get on the scene.” Chief Leslie Manahan… Valdosta Today