Police Log: Stolen GPS Leads Police To Owner, Thief To Jail

The destinations on the used GPS Eric Wakely, 20, of 444 Willow St., apt. 21, was trying to sell didn't correspond with any of the destinations in his life, but they did match up with those of the guy who said it was stolen.

On Sept. 22, at 2:38 p.m., officers were dispatched to Mt. St. Charles Avenue for a report of a suspicious person selling GPS units. When they arrived, they found Wakely on Bernon Street, headed home.

Wakely told officers he had sold a GPS belonging to his girlfriend, because he no longer drives and doesn't use it. He said he had sold the GPS for $50, and showed police a series of text messages to the man he'd sold it to.

Officers contacted the man Wakely had sold the GPS to and met with him to examine the device, checking several of the locations programmed in. The address for "home" did not match Wakely's house.

Police contacted the address listed in the GPS, finding the owner, Marion Hanna, who works at Landmark Medical Center. He said someone had stolen the GPS from his car Sept. 22 between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m. while he was working, but hadn't had time to report it missing.

The locations programmed into the GPS did match Hanna's home, work and other destinations. The GPS was returned to him.

Wakely reimbursed the man who had bought the stolen GPS from him. He was arrested and charged with receiving stolen property.