An anonymous tip to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office led to the arrest of man accused in two December smash-and-grab burglaries.

NCSO deputy Cortney Morrison said deputies arrested Freddie Blue Jr., 19, of Covington, Friday.

Morrison said on Wednesday, Dec. 11, deputies responded to a burglary alarm at the BP gas station at 3300 Ga. Highway 81 South.

Once the deputies arrived, they observed that the front door was shattered by a large rock and cigarettes, condoms and lottery tickets were taken.

Morrison said at the same store on Saturday, Dec. 28,deputies responded to alarm just after 1:30 a.m. She said deputies found the front door area broken, with lottery tickets and cigarettes missing from the store.

"Our investigators received an anonymous tip through our anonymous tip line alluding to the suspect being involved," Morrison said. "Our investigators then followed up on that tip and were able to obtain probable cause to make an arrest."

Deputies charged Blue with two counts of smash-and-grab burglary and two counts of criminal damage to property, Morrison said.

Morrison said the Newton County Sheriff’s Office has an anonymous tip line and a gang tip line.

The Sheriff’s Office launched an anonymous tip line program in November, using a number of new. technology-based tools that allow citizens to report tips anonymously about crimes and gangs.

Citizens can submit tips in multiple ways, including by text message to 274637 (CRIMES). Citizens must start the message with NCSO and then type the rest of their tip; via the Apple and Android app TipSubmit; on newtonsheriff.org/gang by clicking on the TipSoft icon; on newtonsheriff.org by clicking the "Anonymous Tip Line" link; or by calling the Sheriff’s Office anonymous tip line at 678-625-5007.