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Next Door Neighbor Charged With Bratt Business Burglary
December 18, 2010
Less than 12 hours after a Bratt convenience store was burglarized, a man that lives directly behind the store was behind bars for the crime.
The Bratt Crossroads Mini Mart (the former Cooper’s Grocery) was burglarized sometime between Thursday night and early Friday morning. Store owners found the front door of the business busted-in and several items including cigarettes and medications missing when they arrived to open the store Friday morning.
Within a couple of hours, deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office had developed a possible suspect — and they did not have to go very far to find him.
A man who lives in the house behind the store, Eric Eugene Newell, 22, of 4821 West Highway 4 in Bratt, is charged with the burglary of the store and a nearby vehicle. He was questioned by deputies Friday morning, but they were unable to locate the items taken from the store.
Tips led the deputies to Atmore by midday Friday, where the Atmore Police Department assisted the Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office in searching a vehicle in the parking lot of a business in the town’s industrial park. Inside the vehicle, which belongs to a relative of Newell, deputies found most of the items reported missing from the Bratt store. The items were allegedly hidden in the vehicle by Newell without the relative’s knowledge. The relative was not charged and not was considered a suspect in the crime.
Newell was picked up mid-afternoon at his West Highway 4 home, behind the store, and transported to the Sheriff’s Office precinct in Century where he confessed to deputies that he had committed the crime.
Newell was charged with two felony counts of burglary, on felony count of larceny, one misdemeanor count of larceny and misdemeanor criminal mischief. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail Friday night where he was being held with bond set at $8,500.
Pictured top: Deputies investigate an overnight burglary at a Bratt business. Pictured inset: The front door frame was busted during the burglary. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
46 Responses to “Next Door Neighbor Charged With Bratt Business Burglary”
Yeah, Thinker, think about what Bratt Mom just said. You are just embarrassed because that’s your son, brother, boyfriend, babies daddy, or whatever. You do the crime you do the time. I wouldn’t wish anything on anyone, Thinker. It might come back to bite you in the butt just like this has. I’m sure that mouth isn’t going to ever get you anywhere in life except for the front page of the news paper also! You sure are fired up over this person must be awful close to you.
I m sure you are embarrassed with his face on the front of North Escambia so everyone in the neighbor hood knows who is the thief they live beside
Thinker you can wish all you can. But the simple fact is your children are how you raise them.
Hey WEAR don’t be blaming us Century folks we have enough going on around here. We don’t need to travel to Bratt to get into trouble, we can find it right here.
He was probly abused as a child.BOOhoo!
There are bad people in every neighborhood. Please don’t judge all by actions of one. Glad the Gilley’s reopened the corner store. The store is a landmark and I know most of the community are glad it’s open.
I DO NOT WISH FOR ANYONE’S CHILD TO GET PICKED UP ON A CRIME, WHAT A HORRIBLE THING TO SUGGEST FOR ANYONE HOWEVER I DO BELIEVE WHAT YOU INSTILL IN A CHILD AND HOW A CHILD GROWS UP IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WILL REFLECT HOW THEY LIVE THIER LIVES ! POOR NEW OWNERS OF OUR LITTLE BRATT STORE. NICE PEOPLE COME IN AND OPEN UP A PLACE FOR US AND THIS IS WHAT SOMEONE GIVES THEM IN RETURN. NOBODY AROUND HERE SHOULD HAVE TO HAVE STEEL DOORS, IT IS SO RIDICULOUS LIKE THE THIEF THAT BROKE INTO THE PLACE. OBVIOULSY NOT ENOUGH SPANKINGS AND TEACHING IN THIS YOUNG MANS LIFE OH, WHOOPS, GUESS I WILL GET WISHED MY KIDS GET PICKED UP ON A CRIME SOMEDAY FOR SAYTHING THAT. WE NEED MORE OF JESUS AND GOD IN OUR LIVES !
Man I love this website! Yeah I’m laughing out loud but really mean it.
YEA and when you could marry yer furst cuzin
YEA!! The good old days
Spare the rod and spoil the child. Nothing has ever been wrong with this and never will be. Until parents take things back into their hands and spank some butts when needed these kind of people will continue to infect our society.
Bratt is not what it used to be, used to be all we dealt with was domestic issues(spouse abuse, incest, ect.), now we got people making and selling drugs, robbing and shootin folks, just aint safe anymore anywhere.
I was born down the road from coopers 42 years ago so ive lived there most of my life . As long as i can remember Bratt may be a small community but everyone knows each other and they got each others back. when i was growing up you didnt have to worry about locking the doors and you could sleep with the windows open .coopers has been around since i was a baby.Mr.&Mrs. Cooper were always very nice &would help you any way they could.Eric was a couple years younger than me but he was always nice to everyone he met so hats off to Eric&Kerry Gilley for keeping our little country store in Bratt alive.
if you look at the history of the cooper store robberies, the thiefs were from bratt, as is the case in most robberies in small communities.
does it matter where a person grows up or is from…. or is it where they are going? this guy is in bratt now and one person does not reflect an entire community. jusk ask someone from the town of Auschwitz.
REGARDING:
” this kid did not grow up in Bratt. ”
Or for that matter, possibly at all
David contemplating signs of maturity
You can rest assured that this kid did not grow up in Bratt. We are having a lot of trash move to our community.
Donut luvr,
Those old wood doors hold fond memories for many folks in the area. There’s nothing like walking into an old store and hearing those old doors squeak when you open them.
reborn former idiot offers a valid perspective..only time will tell for this young man..good to see the different law enforcement entities working together (along w/the community) like clock-work…..on the bright side of this unfortunate event, at least this small business has gotten some significant attention (good for advertising)…MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!
I’m sorry that this happened to the Crossroads store, however this had happened a few times even when the Coopers had the store. The comment about steel doors, etc, we are fortunate to live in a wonderful community and don’t have the need for burglar bars, etc. Unfortunately things happen at times and we have not such nice or troubled people move into the area. Bratt will always be a safe place to live with friendly people and families. Good job ECSO!!!!
It appears to me, the owners of this establishment need to increase their security somewhat. A couple termite eaten doors with some cheesy lock wont hold much back. Time to put in some STEEL. Steel framing, Steel door, with wire reinforced tempered glass inset. It would be easier to go through a wall than that door.
At least the LEO’s were able to recover the items, good job hunting the thief down. I know the guy that drives the Tahoe is one bad ????, even made Chuck Norris flinch once. Yeah.
Do not blame all kids for the action of a few. Their is alot of good kids and familys that live in Bratt area. Good work form the law inforcement of Escambia Fl. !
WEAR last to know , “Who says the criminals are from Bratt? Atmore and Century are right down the road.” Hmmmm, seems like a few crooks live in Bratt!
Bratt Mom, I hope some day your child is picked up and charged with a crime…whether guilty or not. Then YOU can be the mother “trash” and a “worthless person”. Grow up.
What you don’t know may embarrass the hell out of you.
@ reborn former idiot
I agree with you that people can change and being scorned by family and friends is a good way to change bad behavior. It is ironic, though, that the good people of Bratt talk about ostracizing this person for stealing. If he lived in Pensacola, he would probably get an Extreme Makeover with a new house, money, vacation, etc, etc… I think I would rather live in Bratt, where people try to correct bad behavior, and not reward it. I plan to visit that store and give them some business. Sounds like they are good people.
Good luck to the new store owners. You can tell the town likes this little store
being there.
Maybe I’ll try to find it myself one of these days. Sounds wonderful just like
old times.
FOR THE S.O.—GOOD WORK. FOR THOSE WHO SAID IT COULDN’T BE SOMEONE FROM BRATT–OH WELL.
I am sooooo glad this person did not get away with this!!!!! I am sooooo proud to have this store in our community !!!!!!!! The owners are very nice and friendly……please stop by,if you haven’t done so,and meet these good people !!!!
You can run but you can’t hidesucker! Good job Dounut slayer!!
Ostracized from now own? I done something similar to this twentysomeodd years ago and I caught it from every angle. My parents,Grandparents,friends and neighbors they all let me have with both barrels as well they should have.I had probation officer so big and mean I’d be shaking in my shoes when I had to talk to him.The point is I learned from my mistake. I’m not nieve I know the world is lot meaner now than back then and we all tend to be cynical because of so much going on but I’d hate to think someone still held that against me after all these years.I don’t know the young man in question but I pray he will see the error of his ways.Prosecution and public humilation might just go long way toward doing just that but lets not assume he is trash or will never ammount to anything because that is something only he can decide.
@Kerri Gilley
We live somewhat far away, but will make every effort to go by your store and pick up some stuff to help your business.Last time we were there the store had excellent local produce.Saw tomatoes that were the size of grapefruit…. Hope you are keeping that model. This is a great time to remember to support our local small businesses. This kid has now ruined his reputation in OUR community. He will be ostracized from now on. Nobody forced him to steal. No one is fond of taking personal responsibility for his or her actions.
My name is Kerri Gilley and I am one of the new owners of Bratt Crossroads Mini Mart. I would like to say a special thanks to the Escambia County Sherriff’s Office who worked very hard and SOLVED THIS CASE IN A MATTER OF HOURS!!!!! The person responsible has been arrested and we have received most of our stolen merchandise back already. Thanks also to the community who helped us get through this glitch and kept us motivated.
medications…hmmm…wonder if its ingredients to make meth..might explain a few things.
Wonder what kind of medication? Probably something used to make meth.
Burglaries do happen in a lot of places, even up here in sleepy hollow. They are normally a non-violent crimes unlike those dead bodies that keep turning up in Thugville (Pensacola).
WOW! i cant believe this happened. when i was going to school this morning, i saw all of the cops. it kindof freaked me out but i didnt think it would’ve been this bad. i am very concerned nd i hope they catch whoever did this. Even though i am one, i think this probally was a teen. Because after school a lot of our students go there and hang out. But this store hasnt been opened long and i hope they can recover from this loss! Good luck and may God be with you!
To: whomever done this, karma is REAL and you will reep what you sow.
I thought stuff like this only happened in Pensacola…not in Mayberry.
You no the bad thing about all the burgleries and shooting they will continue as long as the economy is as bad as it is.
WHO OPENED THE STORE BACK UP? cUDOS TO YOU, YOU ARE A HERO IN YOUR COMMUNITY! DON’T LET THIS GET YOU DOWN, GO AHEAD AND INSTALL AN ALARM SYSTEM….NOT THAT EXPENSIVE AND IT WILL LET YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT WHILE HELPING OUT YOUR COMMUNITY! BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!!! I HOPE THEY CATCH THEM AND MAKE THEM PAY AND APOLOGIZE TO YOU AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY THERE…..I’D PUT THEIR PIC UP TOO AROUND BRATT AND ON THIS PAGE AND LET THE WORLD SEE WHO THEY ARE….
Has’nt been under new ownership long!! this is ashame!!!!!!!!!!! I wonder if Mr. and Mrs. Cooper ever had this problem. Sorry Carrie i know how hard you have been working with this new venture and it is sad to see this happen to ya’ll
No one said anything about where the trash is from.. It came to my community where I am from.
Who says the criminals are from Bratt? Atmore and Century are right down the road.
It is so sad that the world has come to this. And you are right, no matter where you go you will always find worthless, no good people…or as stated – TRASH!!! It is just getting worse and worse!!
Amen to what Bratt Mom said.
I guess there will be trash no matter where you live!!! I hope they get this worthless person.