Wilkes County investigators and deputies have made several felony arrests in theft cases in the past week, and Tignall police have cracked a burglary ring.

In the case of 80 bales of hay stolen from a Wilkes County field earlier in the month, Acting Sheriff Mike Sisson said that Investigator Jimmy Harrison got a tip that led to the arrest July 17 of Christopher Dyches, 25, of Washington. He was charged with felony theft by taking and is out on bail. About half of the hay has been recovered, and no further arrests are expected.

Two vehicles stolen for scrap metal brought arrests in two separate incidents. The victim of one theft, Perry Gunter, saw his vehicle being towed up Highway 17 North. Gunter followed the thieves, Sisson said, to Newell Recycling in Fortsonia, and called deputies.

Wilkes deputies arrested Ramon Torell Gartrell, 36, formerly of Washington; and Richard Lowe, 40, of Thomson. Both were charged with felony theft by taking. Lowe was released on bond and Gartrell is held on a state probation warrant.

In a second scrap-metal case, a Dodge pickup was stolen from a Stony Ridge Road home last week. The owner found it missing in the morning, and it was found in Thomson the following day. Harrison's investigation showed that Garland Chavis Moody of Washington had spent night at the home, then took the truck to Scull Shoals Road and stole a four-wheeler and tools from a home.

Chavis was charged with one count of motor vehicle theft and two counts of theft by taking. He is currently in the McDuffie County jail.

In Tignall, Police Chief Mike Arrington has arrested a pair involved in some five burglaries. Working with Wilkes deputies, Arrington said, they were able to identify the two men who had been cleaning out unoccupied houses for scrap metal or anything of value.

Waddy Leon Luke and Vincent Wilkerson, both of Tignall, were arrested in the burglaries of several unoccupied homes.

Luke was charged with two counts of criminal trespassing, one count of burglary, and one count of theft by receiving stolen goods. Wilkerson was charged with one count of burglary and one charge of felony theft by taking.

Arrington warned residents that with scrap metal bringing record high prices, property owners need to watch out for strange vehicles and for people coming around saying they want to do yard work.