CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. — Carroll County investigators say they finally got their man after a multi-state crime spree that ended in Georgia.
Dexter Pearce is accused of a wide-ranging crime spree. But it all came to an end when he ran into a quick-thinking officer in nearby Forsyth County.
Investigators said Pearce had been a thorn in the side of law enforcement for months.
"This is not a new thing for him," Carroll County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Ashley Hulsey said. "This is something he's really good at."
Officers said surveillance video at a car dealership in Carrollton showed Pearce at work, breaking in, grabbing the key fob and driving a car right off the showroom floor.
Investigators said he's been a very busy serial car thief who has returned for more cars.
"We started getting calls from all over the Southeast, ranging from Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee," Hulsey said. "Obviously a ton of jurisdictions within the state of Georgia. We were also contacted by an agency in Alabama. They had a very similar situation."
Pearce is accused of stealing multiple vehicles from car dealerships across the region. But officers said his luck ran out in Cumming last Friday when he was allegedly pulled over in another stolen car.
Video shows an officer approach him - and then the whole situation goes downhill from there. Within seconds, the chase began as they sped through Forsyth County.
In minutes, officers had captured Pearce by using spike strips. During his arrest, police said they recovered a large number of key fobs belonging to other cars.
As for why he's been stealing all these cars, the details are still a bit unclear.
"We don't know why he does what he does, but clearly knows where to go, what to look for, and how to get in and out undetected because this is not his first rodeo."
Pearce is still being held at the Forsyth County Jail. Officers said he's also believed to be responsible for a similar crime spree in Coweta County.