Burglary suspect surrenders at Herald offices

An Atlanta man wanted in an Albany burglary case entered The Albany Herald’s office late Thursday afternoon to make a statement. About 10 minutes later, he was handcuffed and taken into custody by officers with the Albany Police Department.

Stephen Wayne Chapman, 44, has appeared on the Albany Area Crime Stoppers Most Wanted fugitives list, which is published each Friday in The Herald. He was being sought by Albany police on active arrest warrants for burglary and contempt of Municipal Court. His photograph and a brief summary of charges he faces was last published on June 22 in The Herald.

FOR MOBILE: Click here to watch the video of Chapman’s interview and arrest.

Chapman, dressed in black and wearing a black cap with the letter B on it, approached the receptionist at the newspaper at approximately 4:25 p.m. Thursday, acknowledging that he was on the Most Wanted list. He asked to talk with a reporter before he surrendered to authorities. He was accompanied by a second man who said he was applying for a Crime Stoppers award for bringing Chapman in.

To see this week’s Crime Stoppers Most Wanted List, click here.

A representative of the Herald’s newsroom met with Chapman in a first-floor conference room. While the interview was being conducted, a newspaper official contacted police to inform them that Chapman was on the premises.

Three APD officers responded. Chapman was handcuffed and taken away without any resistance. He was booked into the Dougherty County Jail Thursday evening, a jail official confirmed.

“I’ve been here nearly 30 years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Herald Editor Jim Hendricks said.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Chapman said he had been living in Atlanta. Authorities had listed his most recent address at 515 Southgate St. in Albany.

Chapman said he believes the charges will be dropped. He contends the burglary at his girlfriend’s house was not really a burglary.

“Some kids in the neighborhood broke a window at my girlfriend’s house and she thought there had been a burglary,” Chapman said. “They arrested me because my DNA was all over the house.

“Well, that’s just like if you go to my place in Atlanta, her DNA will be there.”

Chapman also produced what he said was a letter from his girlfriend asking authorities to drop the charges.

He jumped from topic to topic during the brief interview, charging that this was the second time he had been wrongly charged by law enforcement officers in Albany.

Asked about the contempt of Municipal Court charge, Chapman’s response was vague, but he said it involved “an empty beer can.”

Because of the stress caused by the charges, Chapman said, he had been “under the care of a mental health doctor” for depression and other issues.

“They’re scandalizing my name,” he said. “I’m an ordained minister also.”