TELFAIR COUNTY, Ga. — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested a 56-year-old man for allegedly stealing an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) from a courthouse.
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James Richard Joines Jr.,56, of McRae-Helena, faces charges of misdemeanor theft by taking and felony interference with government property.
The investigation into the theft began on Sept. 9 when Telfair County Sheriff Sim Davidson requested the GBI’s assistance after the AED was reported missing from the courthouse.
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Investigators said they were able to recover the AED during their inquiry, confirming that it had been removed from the courthouse by Joines.
Joines was arrested and booked into the Telfair County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday.
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The investigation remains active, and authorities are seeking additional information from the public. Tips can be submitted anonymously through various channels provided by the GBI.
Once the investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to the Oconee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.