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Nails scattered all over entrance to Sheriff’s Office cause tire damage

Roofing nails strewn along the road in front of the Grady County Sheriff’s Office wound up puncturing many tires, including some belonging to the sheriff, and authorities are trying to determine just how and when the nails got there.
The silver tacks were discovered Monday morning and many employees at the sheriff’s office found them poked into their tires from their drive into work. Also, at least four employees found nails in the tires of their government vehicles.
Once the nails were discovered, the City of Cairo sent its street sweeper to the area to help clean up the small metal spikes. Employees of the jail and sheriff’s office picked up an estimated one pound of more nails left behind, according to Capt. Steve Clark, chief investigator for the Grady County Sheriff’s Office.
Capt. Clark says he is working to determine whether the nails were dropped along 16th Avenue N.E., by accident or spread with the intention of causing harm.
Visitation of inmates was held at the jail over the weekend. Capt. Clark says it is possible someone in construction visited the jail and the nails accidentally spilled out of their truck. He says it is still unclear when the nails made their way to the road. He says, of course, someone angry with the sheriff’s office could have intentionally spread the nails. He is looking over the recent visitation list to see if anyone is suspicious.
Capt. Clark says if criminal intent can be proven and a suspect arrested, felony criminal charges could be brought, because damaging government property is an automatic felony. Intentional damage to the private vehicle of an employee of the sheriff’s office or jail could also be a felony if considered domestic terrorism or a hate crime, according to Capt. Clark.
Visitors to the jail or sheriff’s office on Monday who found nails in their tires will need to bring a copy of their repair bill to the sheriff’s office in order to seek restitution through the courts should a criminal arrest be made. At least one member of a local women’s prayer group who visited inmates Monday morning reportedly found nails in a tire of her car.

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