A neighbor with a watchful eye tipped over the domino which started the chain reaction that led to two arrests in correlation to a burglary that happened on Lake Douglas Road in Climax over the weekend.

According to Decatur County Sheriff’s Office investigator Terry Phillips, Brandi Brogden was home alone when she noticed a car pull off the road in front of her neighbor’s house on Lake Douglas Rd. and put its emergency flashers on. She saw three males emerge from the vehicle and make their way to the house before they disappeared from her sight.

It was around 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16, when she called her husband, Rusty, to alert him to the situation. Since he was at work, he called on his friend Ronnie Boyd to go investigate the situation, Phillips said.

Boyd made his way over to the cluster of houses where his friend lives and the car was parked. Upon arriving at the houses, he saw a black four-door Chevrolet Impala. After his first pass, he turned around to make another pass of the vehicle to get a better look. His presence was enough to alert the thieves, Phillips said.

The three males bolted from the house and dove into the car, which sped off down Lake Douglas Road heading toward Bainbridge. Boyd wanted to give chase, put the Impala accelerated out of sight in the winding turns of Lake Douglas Road.

By this point, deputies had been alerted to the situation. Sgt. Tim Williamson was heading to the scene when he saw the car pass him going the opposite direction of him on Lake Douglas Road.

He flipped on his lights and whipped his car around, but by the time he got around the car was out of sight. Williamson sped in the direction he saw the car heading, that’s when he saw it wrecked in the yard of Mount Nebo Church.

The suspects had fled the scene of the accident, but a dropped wallet gave police an identity: 17-year-old Keith Addison.

Deputies went to the address listed on Addison’s ID and found that he was not home, but his father was. Investigator Brian Donalson spoke with Addison’s father and informed him of the situation involving the wreck and possible burglary.

Inside the car a flat screen TV was visible along with a large amount of loose change.

“It looked like a piggy bank had been busted inside the car,” Phillips said.

Back at the original house, police had discovered that a door had been kicked in, and homeowners Jason and Bridgett Mills said they were missing a flat screen TV and about $200 in loose change, which is what officers said they saw in the car.

Sunday, Phillips got a call from Steve Addison, Keith’s dad, who wanted to bring his son to Phillips.

After talking to Keith, Phillips was able to bring in another suspect, 18-year-old Shawntavis Peterson. Peterson admitted to being the get-away driver, so Phillips was now able to place two people at the scene, he said.

Phillips has asked for a search warrant to go through the vehicle. He believes he can see what he thinks are wallets and cell phones in the vehicle, however if he finds cell phones he will have to ask for another search warrant to go through those.

The arrests would not have been possible if it were not for the assistance of the neighbors. Phillips spoke highly of those involved, especially Ronnie Boyd, who left his home in order to check on a neighbor. But it goes to prove that something small, like showing concern, can lead to something big. Thanks to Bridgett Brogden, the Mills family will get their flat screen back, and their money.

“What I say to anybody and everybody in the community is just be on the lookout for your neighbors and for yourself,” said Phillips, “if you leave the house, make it look like somebody is there, and neighbors need to look after neighbors.”