Teen Vehicle Thieves Caught Quickly by VPD, LCSO, K9 Unit, and Drone in Valdosta

VALDOSTA, GA – A stolen vehicle led to a fast-moving manhunt on the night of December 8, 2025, ending in the arrest of two teenagers and the recovery of a stolen gun.

At approximately 11:00 p.m., a Valdosta resident called 911 to report his vehicle stolen from the parking lot of A&B Foods on East Hill Avenue (valdosta news). Officers were dispatched with a detailed description of the car, and one responding officer soon spotted the vehicle traveling on Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. The vehicle stopped in a parking lot on South Patterson Street, but the two occupants ran on foot.

Law enforcement immediately coordinated a search. Jordan Alice, 17, was quickly apprehended by responding officers. The Valdosta Police Department deployed a K9 unit and a drone to locate the second juvenile, 16, who was found hiding in bushes on church property on South Troup Street. During the arrest, officers discovered a handgun that had been reported stolen.

The 16-year-old was taken into custody and detained at a Regional Youth Detention Center. Charges include theft by taking a motor vehicle, theft by receiving stolen property (gun), possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a minor, and misdemeanor obstruction of an officer. Alice was transported to the Lowndes County Jail and charged with theft by taking a motor vehicle and misdemeanor obstruction of an officer.

Chief Leslie Manahan praised the swift response and collaboration between the Valdosta Police Department and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, noting, “Thankfully, there were no injuries, and the victim’s vehicle was returned almost immediately.”