Forsyth County Man Arrested After Stealing Power Tools, Found with Stolen Items Days Later

A Forsyth County man, Michael Cothran, was arrested on January 2, 2025, after being identified as the suspect in a theft from a local home improvement store. The theft occurred on December 21, when Cothran reportedly filled his cart with power tools, totaling $1,394, and walked out without paying. Witnesses claimed they heard “Ho, Ho, Ho” and jingling bells as he left the store and hurried to his pickup truck, described as a “Rudolph red sleigh.”

Detectives were able to identify Cothran through video surveillance footage. An arrest warrant was issued, and on January 2, Brookhaven PD conducted a traffic stop on Cothran’s vehicle. During the stop, two of the stolen items were recovered from his truck.

Detectives later obtained a search warrant in Dekalb County and successfully recovered the rest of the stolen tools. Cothran has been taken into custody and is facing charges related to the theft.