Athens man calls cops to report stolen pot

By Joel Provano

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Alex Morrison says his house in Athens has been broken into more than a dozen times, but the perpetrator never took anything until Monday, when marijuana was stolen.

According to Athens-Clarke County police, Morrison's home on Blake Way was broken into Monday and he reported that $60 worth of marijuana was stolen.

Morrison told the AJC on Tuesday that he wasn't worried about telling police that he had marijuana stolen from his house, and he said the police didn't seem concerned either.

"They were not onto me about it," he said. "They didn't seem too concerned, to tell you the truth."

But what Morrison is concerned about is the frequency of break-ins at his home. What's even more frustrating, he said, is that he knows who's doing it -- a fellow grad student at the University of Georgia's chemistry school -- and that police have not arrested the man. Morrison said police told him they could not make an arrest because the man did not confess to the break-ins.

Athens-Clarke CountyPolice Detective Doug Wyatt said that "during his time at the University of Georgia," Morrison "has mentioned being broken into numerous times" but that only two incidents were reported to police. He confirmed Monday's incident, saying "he is a victim of a burglary and he has stated marijuana was stolen."

Morrison said that while Monday's incident is the first time anything has been stolen,  the intruder has kicked in his door and broken windows to gain entry. The man even paid for the damages to repair his door on one occasion, Morrison said.

The man apparently isn't after any ill-gotten gains, he said, because until Monday's incident he had never taken anything.  "There's something else going on," Morrison said, but he had no idea what.

The last time he confronted the man, Morrison said, "he was crying and tried to deny it, but he gave me $500 in damages."

Morrison said this is at least the 14th time the same man has broken into his home.

"Welcome to my world," he said.