Vidalia Police Department officers arrested a Mississippi man Monday, allegedly involved in an eight-month old car theft incident.

Chief Billy Hammers said VPD officers arrested Alton J. Smith, 66, 93 Mississippi St., Roxie, on charges of unauthorized use of a vehicle.

Hammers said Smith is the suspect allegedly responsible for the theft of a Lincoln Town Car, stolen from Vidalia Auto Glass on Carter Street, eight months ago.

Last Saturday a 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe was stolen from Vidalia Auto Glass, making it the third in eight months.

The theft had other Vidalia business owners along Carter Street questioning the effectiveness of VPD

VPD officers transported Smith from Brookhaven to Vidalia.

“The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office picked him up and saw that we had a warrant for unauthorized use (of a vehicle) and he was expedited to Vidalia,” Hammers said.

Hammers said he tried to take the suspect to the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office jail, but due to Smith’s medical conditions, CPSO would not hold him.

“I was going to keep him at the Vidalia holding cell, but due to his medical conditions I saw fit to release him,” he said.

Hammers said Smith’s court date in Vidalia is set for Feb. 15.

“If he doesn’t show we will re-arrest him,” he said.

Hammers said VPD tried several times to arrest Smith before.

“We sent warrants to where we thought he was in Mississippi and he had several misdemeanor charges and somehow they (LCSO) let him slip through the cracks,” Hammers said.

Hammers also said the only way for VPD to arrest a Mississippi resident is to be accompanied by a Mississippi law enforcement officer.

“They’ll pick him up and he has to sign a waiver to be expedited and then we can bring him in,” Hammers said.

Hammers said no leads have been found on the Chevy Tahoe incident but he was still working on the case.