Itawamba County law enforcement officers have arrested a Mooreville man and two minors accused of a string of property thefts in both Itawamba and Lee counties.

Christopher Lee McCollum, 17, of 936 A Highway 371 South, Mooreville, was arrested by Itawamba County deputies on Aug. 1 and charged with both grand larceny and attempted grand larceny.

Also arrested were two minors, whose names and information cannot be released.

As of Monday, McCollum has received an initial court appearance before Itawamba County Justice Court Judge Gerald Wallace, who issued the accused a $5,000 bond. McCollum was then transported to Lee County, where he allegedly confessed to similar crimes.

The two minors will have to be processed through the county’s youth court.

McCollum and the two minors are accused of a multitude of thefts, most of which occurred in Lee County. Locally, McCollum is accused of stealing an ATV, go-cart and several fishing poles from a Mantachie Creek Road residence. He is also accused of attempting to steal a second ATV from the Mantachie area.

Authorities arrested McCollum and the two minors, who deputies with the Itawamba County Sheriff’s Department identified as his friends, after an Itawamba County citizen called 911 and reported spotting a suspicious person riding an ATV.

After a brief investigation, authorities were able to track McCollum and locate the stolen merchandise.

Itawamba County Sheriff Chris Dickinson commented that it’s always a good day when an arrest can be made with the help of local citizens.

“It’s just another example of community policing — working hand-in-hand with law enforcement to keep the county safe,” the sheriff said.

Mantachie meth bust

Thanks to a bit of help from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, deputies with the Itawamba County Sheriff’s Department have arrested a Guntown man accused of attempting to create crystal meth.

Jeffrey Lynn Langley, 39, of County Road 1970, Guntown, was arrested on July 27 and charged with attempt to manufacture a schedule II methamphetamine.

According to Itawamba County narcotics officer Jimmy Dale Sartin, Langley was arrested after MDWFP officer John McFerrin spotted his vehicle on a Mantachie roadside and noticed Langley tossing a suspicious object from the window. McFerrin contacted deputies and detained the suspect until they arrived.

According to Sartin, deputies discovered a “shake and bake” crystal meth lab next to the vehicle, and Langley was taken into custody.

Sartin said deputies arrested a second person who was in the car with Langley at the time but did not charge this individual.

Langley waived his initial court appearance and was issued a bond in the amount of $5,000 by Judge Wallace. He is currently being held in the Itawamba County Jail, on hold from the Mississippi Department of Corrections for previous charges.

Adam Armour can be reached at 862-3141, by e-mailing adam.armour@itawamba360.com or by visiting his blog at itawamba360.com.