Using dogs and even a helicopter, several police agencies searched a wooded area of Richmond County last night and this morning for Bobby Lee Roberson, a suspect in last month's break-ins and shootout in the West Lake community of Columbia County.

Richmond County Sheriff's Lt. Scott Gay said Mr. Roberson is considered armed and dangerous. He was believed spotted Thursday night in a vehicle on Bath-Edie Road. He fled police, eventually abandoning the vehicle in the vacinity of Keysville Road about 1 a.m. and running into a wooded area.

A state patrol helicopter was brought in, as well as tracking dogs, Lt. Gay said. Mr. Roberson avoided capture, however, despite involvement of police agencies from Jefferson and Richmond counties, as well as Blythe and Hephzibah.

According to Columbia County warrants, Mr. Roberson is suspected in a Feb. 18 incident in which an off-duty Medical College of Georgia officer fired his weapon at a man he found in his vehicle in the West Lake gated community in Martinez.

Mr. Roberson is a suspect in several West Lake vehicle break-ins, police say. He also might have sustained gunshot injuries in the incident.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office also has a warrant out for Mr. Roberson on an unrelated felony charge, according to a Columbia County Sheriff's Office news release.

Mr. Roberson is described as black, 5 foot 8 inches tall and weighing between 180 and 195 pounds. Anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts is asked to contact Sgt. Mike Cullinan or Investigator Wynn Howard at (706) 541-2800.