‘Crawling burglar’ indicted in two dozen Cobb burglaries

A Cobb grand jury indicted an Atlanta man, Aron Jermaine Major, 49, on 24 counts of burglary and one count of racketeering related to a string of alleged burglaries in Cobb County. 

His son, Aron Major Jr., who was also arrested on a single count of tampering with evidence the day after his father was arrested was indicted by the same jury for tampering with evidence.

Nicknamed “the crawling burglar,” Major’s arrest warrants describe a pattern of late-night and early-morning burglaries where the suspect used techniques reminiscent of a heist movie. 

The warrant says Major removed or broke windows to crawl into numerous businesses while they were closed, prying open safes, and cash drawers, and stealing merchandise. 

Cash, alcohol, and cigarettes were the common targets of the suspect. Police believe Major is behind a string of burglaries at The Wing Cafe and Tap House and Marietta Martial Arts at East Lake Shopping Center and the Fuji Hana restaurant on Johnson Ferry Road, which began on Sept. 22, 2020. 

He is also suspected of breaking into Ming’s Asian Kitchen and Red Curry Thai restaurants on Lower Roswell Road, a Havoline Express oil change shop, Peace, Love and Pizza on East Piedmont Road, Mink’s Package Store on Delk Road, Tokyo Valentino East Cobb, Mellow Mushroom on Powers Ferry Road, Laredo’s Mexican Restaurant on Sandy Plains Road, a BP gas station in Austell, and a Jason’s Deli, Dickey’s BBQ, Moe’s and Flying Biscuit in Kennesaw.

According to warrants, police recovered clothing and business checks from Fuji Hana, more than 100 cartons of Newport cigarettes, lottery tickets, large amounts of cash, a unique jacket matching surveillance videos at multiple break-ins, and other stolen items from different businesses at the suspect’s home.

Major was sentenced four times for previous burglaries and other crimes in metro Atlanta dating back to 1992, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections. 

Major has been detained at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center since his arrest on June 1, 2021, according to jail records.