Dustin Whitley, 24.

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Two men have been arrested in connection with the theft of more than $11,000 worth of tools from a construction site in Baldwin County.

Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Detective Thomas “T.J.” Hargrove identified the suspects as Dustin Whitley 24, of McIntyre; and John Michael Register, 22, of Milledgeville.

Whitley was charged with one count of felony theft by taking, while Register was charged with one felony count of theft by receiving stolen property, Hargrove said.

The detective said Register currently is being held for probation violation at a detention center in Treutlen County.

“Probation officials obviously sent him off, so he wasn’t doing what he was supposed to be doing,” Hargrove said.

As soon as he is released from the detention there, Register will be brought to the Baldwin County Law Enforcement Center to be booked and processed on the criminal charge he faces in Baldwin County, Hargrove said.

Whitley, who was taken into custody March 6 by local authorities, was later released on bond from the Baldwin County Law Enforcement Center.

“What we’ve got is, to be honest, about five guys that all know each other and are tied to the business,” Hargrove said. “The problem we have is that we have varying accounts of what happened. People are saying different things.”

Based on the investigation, Register accepted the stolen property, according to Hargrove.

“What we’re still trying to figure out now is who took the property,” Hargrove said.

Whitley, who was previously employed with the construction company where the tools were taken, was one of two people who reportedly knew where the key to a large tool chest on wheels was located, the detective said.

A man named Billy Young, who had nothing to do with the crime, was credited with helping local authorities solve the case, Hargrove said.

“Young called us and said there’s a lot of construction tools here, and I don’t want it here,” Hargrove recalled.

The theft happened at a construction site at 10 Meriwether Place, near the intersection of Meriwether Road and North Columbia Street.

The tools had a total value of $11,260.