After days of trying to locate a Conecuh County man, Covington County Sheriff’s office investigators located Matthew Cobb at a residence on Brooklyn Road in Conecuh County, who was wanted for theft charges.

Covington County Sheriff Blake Turman said the “Backwoods Bandit” was caught Thursday but the investigation is “far from over.”

A week ago, Escambia County deputies tracked Cobb in the Damascus area of their county.

“We went to a house on Friday night and searched for him until 3 a.m.,” Escambia County Sheriff Heath Jackson said. “He had been at the house, but left. We went back Sunday night and tracked him with dogs until the rain washed out the scent.”

Turman said that investigators’ tenacity and determination led to the capture of Cobb

“Cobb had been on the run from authorities for several weeks after a rash of burglaries in Covington, Conecuh and Escambia County,’ Turman said. “Cobb has been camping in many different locations and staying close to the Conecuh River.”

On Thursday, Cobb holed himself up in the attic of a residence, Turman said.

“Six rounds of teargas was used to flush him out of the attic,” he said. “Only after the tact team made entry into the attic did Cobb surrender.”

Turman said Cobb was not injured.

He was transported to the Conecuh County Jail, where he is being held for violation of parole.

Turman said Covington County has warrants for Cobb and plans to incarcerate him soon.

“I want to remind our community that this investigation is not over,” Turman said. “There are others involved and we expect arrests soon. It is paramount that we, as a community, keep a check on each other and secure our property.”

Turman said outlying homes and old farm places, hunting camps and anywhere that is not visited regularly need to be secured and checked on.

“If you see something, say something,” he said. “The Covington County Sheriff’s Department needs your intel. You help us solve these crimes when you give us information. Nothing goes unchecked.”