Investigation in ID’ing suspect in Country’s BBQ burglary continues in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Columbus police are still looking for a man who allegedly stole from the corporate office of a popular Columbus restaurant. The incident was even caught on camera.

A window, now repaired, was smashed open by one thief using a rock to make his way inside of the County’s Real Pit BBQ’s corporate building. Not only did the break-in happen once, but two times.

“People walking by they get the urge, and they find a rock or something. And this time, the guys did it twice,” said the owner, Jim Morpeth.

“The first time was about 9:45, and they decided to take one of the bikes,” said CFO Kelli Armon. The following week, the same man came back. This time later in the evening.

“The following Tuesday, they came back and decided to get the next bike, and they came around 12:45 that night,” said Armon. That time, the thief took a more expensive bike.

“We’ve got cameras everywhere. If you are here, you are getting photographed, inside and outside,” said Morpeth.

The company has been in this building on 12th Aveneue for over two decades, and while the CEO and CFO say this isn’t the first time a burglary has happened, they don’t want employees to work in fear.

“We’re fixing to take the next step and probably put up some burglar bars. I would say we have had glass broken out at least six times,” said the owner.

The second time, employees worked an all-night shift to keep the thief away. While they know crime can happen anywhere, at any time, they want the public’s help identifying the man who took a rock and threw it in the window. They want him behind bars.

If you know any information on the identity of this suspect, you should contact the police.

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