A tip from a citizen led to a traffic stop and the arrest of two men in reference to five burglaries in the Bairds Cove, Grand Oaks and Sandhurst neighborhoods. The men also were charged for possessing narcotics, the unlawful carrying of a handgun and burglary tools during the traffic stop.
About 12:40 p.m. on Jan. 22, a citizen told dispatch about a suspicious vehicle in the area of Evening Shade and Grand Oaks Boulevard. A responding officer spotted a vehicle on Ashley Garden Boulevard that matched the description given by the citizen. The officer initiated a traffic stop at Ashley Gardens Boulevard and Sienna Place for the vehicle’s expired temporary tag, cracked windshield and both occupants not wearing seatbelts.
The officer approached the driver side of the vehicle and saw the front passenger lean his seat back all the way to the resting position. Directly behind the driver’s seat were a black tool box and silver iPad.
The driver was then asked for the vehicle registration, proof of insurance and his driver’s license. He couldn’t provide the officer with his driver’s license, identification card or vehicle registration. He could only provide a copy of the payment schedule for the vehicle.
During this time, the officer smelled the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. He saw a black sock hat lying on the lap of the passenger along with a pair of black and gray cloth gloves and a large black screwdriver sticking out of his pocket. The officer also saw several screwdrivers and hammers in the vehicle.
The driver and the passenger were asked to step out of the vehicle. They both were searched for weapons and the officers found a screwdriver on the passenger and pocket knife on the driver. A search of the vehicle revealed a handgun, shotgun, jewelry, electronic equipment, sunglasses, power tools and multiple small liquor bottles.
Further investigation by burglary detectives found that many of the electronic equipment and power tools were taken during a burglary that had just occurred at a Dorothy Drive residence which hadn’t been reported to police yet.
Other property in the vehicle linked the suspects to other burglaries occurring between December 29, 2014 and January 5, 2015 on South Hampton Drive, Manchester Road, Rivermont Place and Evening Shade Drive. Two pieces of the stolen property also linked the suspects to a burglary that occurred in December 2014 in Summerville.
Jayquan Grooms, 18, of Beechwood Road, is charged with possession of cocaine base with the intent to distribute, unlawful carrying of a handgun, possession of burglary tools, burglary 2nd degree, grand larceny and receiving stolen goods.
Montez Jenkins, 20, of Sam Rittenberg Boulevard, is charged with receiving stolen goods, possession of cocaine base with the intent to distribute, unlawful carrying of a handgun, possession of burglary tools, burglary 2nd degree and grand larceny. Jenkens was arrested in 2012 for stealing $2,500 in jewelry from a residence in Hampton Pointe Apartments on Sam Rittenberg Blvd.
The investigation is ongoing.
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