A good Samaritan had no idea he was giving a burglary suspect a ride home after his vehicle broke down in Yazoo City.
But when he brought the man back to the abandoned vehicle, deputies were waiting on him in connection to a number of burglaries in the Highland Drive area.
McArthur Williams, 41, was charged with two counts of automobile burglary last Sunday.
Terry Gann, chief investigator with the Yazoo County Sheriff’s Department, said deputies were first called to the area in reference to a brief struggle between a victim and Williams, who allegedly burglarized a vehicle parked at the victim’s home.
“A man was drinking coffee on his back porch when he heard his dog barking,” Gann said. “Going to see what was going on, he found Williams inside his wife’s car. The suspect had the purse of the victim’s wife in his hand, and a brief struggle followed between the two men.”
The victim was able to retrieve the purse, and Williams fled on foot from the scene. Once deputies arrived at the scene, they were unable to locate Williams.
Gann said another automobile burglary was also reported in that same area.
“Shortly afterwards, in that same neighborhood, another man noticed someone, who happened to be Williams, had wrecked his vehicle,” Gann said. “The man gave Williams a ride to his home, and then took him back to the wrecked vehicle. By then, deputies were waiting there.”
Gann said Williams had borrowed the vehicle but burned the motor up after knocking the oil filter off, shortly after the alleged robberies.
“We found the stolen items inside William’s borrowed vehicle and on him,” Gann said. “Those items included cash, credit cards and social security cards.”
Williams has an extensive history with law enforcement with charges ranging from burglary, resisting arrest and automobile theft.
In a separate incident, Jason Matlock, 39, was charged with house burglary last Friday.
“He tried to sell some items that were reported stolen from a hunting camp on Patterson Road,” Gann said. “His attempt to sell the items led us to his involvement and arrest.”
