Teddy bear used in apprehension of suspected Athens thief

Aided by a GPS armed teddy bear, Athens-Clarke County police were able to track and charge a man with theft.

The store manager at Mid-Atlantic Clothing Recycling hoped the childhood toy would help put an end to the string of thefts from his store. He placed a GPS in the teddy bear, which he put in a bag of donated clothing in an effort to apprehend the thief.

Melvin Junior Wilder, 55, reportedly took $40 of clothing valued at $1 per pound — and one crime fighting stuffed bear — from the Georgia Square Mall collection bin. Following the GPS infused bear, police tracked Wilder and charged him with misdemeanor theft by taking.