Police: Burglars caught dumping lottery tickets after chase

Andre Gilbert, 49, of Atlanta, and Kinetra Mitchell, 37, of Petersburg, Va.

Andre Gilbert, 49, of Atlanta, and Kinetra Mitchell, 37, of Petersburg, Va.

Sometimes thieves lead police on a car chase after stealing money.

But after a lengthy two-county chase, authorities said they found two alleged burglars dumping less-valuable evidence: lottery tickets.

Andre Gilbert, 49, of Atlanta, and Kinetra Mitchell, 37, of Petersburg, Va., were arrested Tuesday morning after a police chase across Fayette and Clayton counties, Fayetteville police spokesman Lt. Mike Whitlow said.

It all started about 5 a.m. when Fayetteville police were patrolling the area of North Jeff Davis Drive and North Glynn Street and heard glass breaking near a Shell Food Mart gas station.

The officers went to the gas station to investigate and saw a white Lincoln Continental sitting in front of the store, Whitlow said. The car drove off as police pulled into the parking lot.

The pursuit involved Fayetteville police and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office along Ga. 85. Officials chased the alleged suspects at more than 100 mph, Whitlow said, and were later joined by Clayton County police before losing the duo on Taylor Road off Ga. 138.

Not long after that, Clayton County police found the couple dumping lottery tickets into a wood line, Whitlow said.

He said police arrested Mitchell on the scene, but Gilbert managed to escape momentarily before being caught by a police dog.

Mitchell was charged with burglary and criminal damage to property, according to court records.

Whitlow said Gilbert was taken to Piedmont-Fayette Hospital with minor injuries but is under watch by Fayetteville officers. He was charged with burglary, numerous traffic offenses and obstruction relating to striking the Clayton County police dog during his arrest.