A woman told authorities that a group of juveniles damaged her vehicle as she rode past them on Halloween night.

Around 9 p.m. Thursday, a deputy with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call in reference to property damage on Salem Cove Trail.

The driver told the deputy that a group of juveniles struck the rear of her vehicle and shattered her windshield when she drove by them. The woman reportedly tried to find the juveniles, but they had left the scene by the time she turned her vehicle around.

The deputy also searched tahe area, but he did not locate the suspects.

Rude awakening

A Geiger Street resident who was awakened by a noise in her home reportedly found more than $4,000 worth of items missing Wednesday.

A Covington police officer responded to the burglary call just before 1 a.m. A woman told police she was lying in bed and heard a noise coming from the kitchen, which she initially thought was her younger brother getting a snack.

The woman told police she went into the hallway and called her brother’s name, and when she did not receive an answer, she opened his bedroom door and noticed he appeared to be asleep.

She then reportedly went to the living room and noticed the television was missing. When she went into the kitchen, she found that the back door was open and a window had been kicked in.

Items stolen included a Samsung 60-inch television valued at $2,500; a 42-inch Emerson television, valued at approximately $500; an HP laptop valued at approximately $900; a coffeemaker valued at $200; and several other items.

Gift card fraud reported

Covington Police are looking for a man who reportedly attempted to make purchases with a stolen Vanilla Visa gift card at two local eateries.

A Covington police officer arrived at the Applebee’s at U.S. Highway 278 just after 3 p.m. Wednesday. There, an employee told the officer that a man — described as a light-skinned black male wearing a yellow and blue polo shirt, blue jeans, a green ball cap and glasses — handed the bartender a Vanilla gift card and Oklahoma driver’s licenses to make a $300 purchase. The bartender reportedly asked the man’s date of birth, but the man told the bartender that he did not know it.

The man then reportedly tried to snatch the card back, but when he did not get it, he ran out of the restaurant as an employee chased him.

According to the report, the man ran across the railroad tracks behind Applebee’s and into a wooded area toward Hudson Street and Herring Street. The man was reportedly seen with another black man who had dreadlocks and was driving a white sedan.

Around 3:40 p.m., police were called about a possible theft at Longhorn.

The Applebee’s manager told the officer that she had a receipt that showed that the same debit card was used at Longhorn, located next to Applebee’s.

The Longhorn manager told the officer that a man whose description matched that of the man who had fled Applebee’s purchased a $500 Longhorn gift card with a Vanilla gift card. The man made two purchases for $250, the report said.

According to the report, the Longhorn bartender said, "The man did not look suspicious," and that he made his purchase and left the store.

Anyone with any information should call the Covington Police Department at 770-786-7605.