SOUTH FORSYTH – Two suspects were arrested and one remains at large after Forsyth County deputies thwarted an attempted car theft in a south Forsyth subdivision Monday morning.

The encounter, which began in the Shakerag Farms subdivision, led to a multi-car chase by deputies that ultimately involved the Johns Creek Police Department.

Though the suspects have not yet been identified, both are described as black males and one is 17 years old, according to Deputy Doug Rainwater, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office.

“Somebody placed a 911 call around 5 a.m. in reference to someone trying to steal his car,” Rainwater said. “Our deputies were close and the first deputy responding passed the first [getaway] car coming out of subdivision, [identifying the suspect] based on the description the homeowner gave us.

“A chase ensued over to Johns Creek, where the stolen car then crashed, and the driver got out and ran on foot into a creek area that was half water, half grass.”

While the suspect temporarily got away, Rainwater said he was later arrested by a deputy who was patrolling Old Atlanta Road.

“The deputy noticed a suspicious person covered up in mud and water as if he had been going up creeks all night,” Rainwater said. “The deputy put two and two together and arrested [him] for the stolen vehicle.”

Rainwater said while the initial chase was occurring, another chase was initiated after a second responding deputy saw the second suspect attempting to leave the same subdivision.

“Another responding deputy passed another car coming out of the subdivision, but that car then goes back into the subdivision and gets lost in the subdivision,” Rainwater said. “The deputy is chasing that guy and eventually the second stolen car takes out a few mailboxes trying to get back out of the subdivision, [ultimately] abandoning the car and running on foot.

“Johns Creek [police] came out to assist with a K-9 unit.”

A third suspect is likely escaped, Rainwater said, saying the sheriff’s office is confident he has left the county.

“We are trying to identify the third person; we didn’t see him, just had information there was a third suspect involved,” he said.

The two men arrested were allegedly driving stolen vehicles, though it was not immediately known what county the vehicles came from.

Rainwater said the call and chase led deputies to a number of car break-ins around the subdivision, some smash-and-grabs and other thefts out of unlocked vehicles.

The men arrested did not have weapons on them and the public is not in danger, and more information will be released at a later date.

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