The Gulf County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two individuals in connection with a series of vehicle burglaries in the St. Joe Beach area. Thomas Edward Moore, from Grimes, Iowa, and Damontae Naazir Hattix, from Macon, Georgia, are accused of entering over 30 unlocked vehicles early on the morning of December 4, 2024. The pair took two handguns and other valuables during their crime spree.
Surveillance footage showed the suspects wearing masks and armed with handguns. After gathering evidence, investigators from the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office and Port St. Joe Police Department identified the suspects and the vehicle used during the burglaries.
Moore and Hattix were both familiar to law enforcement, with Hattix currently on parole in Georgia for attempted murder and recently released from a Wisconsin prison in October 2024. In an interview, Moore confirmed that the duo specifically targeted the area for their crime spree during a previous visit.
Sheriff Mike Harrison thanked several agencies for their assistance, including the Johnston Police Department in Iowa, the Warner Robins Police Department in Georgia, and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision. Moore was arrested in Iowa and extradited to Gulf County, where he is being held on a $150,000 bond. Hattix was taken into custody in Georgia and is awaiting extradition.
Both suspects are facing multiple counts of armed burglary. Authorities are urging the community to secure their vehicles to prevent crimes of opportunity.
