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Authorities: Two State Burglary Ring Busted
September 18, 2013
Alabama authorities say they have busted four men responsible for a burglary ring in Alabama plus over dozen vehicle burglaries in Florida.
The four — 18-year old Darrell J. Smith of Brewton, 27-year old Brandon D. Smith of Brewton, 19-year old Jalen J. Harrod of Andalusia and 18-year old Anthony C. Strength of Flomaton — are charged in connection with residential burglaries in the Appleton area of Escambia County, Ala.
The Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office said the four targeted homes where the residents were at work. So far, investigators have recovered 16 firearms, two televisions, laptop computers and other stolen property.
Other evidence seized by investigators led to a joint investigation with Brewton and East Brewton Police Departments and resulted in solving several burglaries in those cities.
A joint investigation with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office also solved 15 vehicle burglaries in Florida. And other evidence seized by investigators led to a joint investigation with Brewton and East Brewton Police Departments and resulted in solving several burglaries in those cities.
Authorities said more arrests or indictments are anticipated. Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff Grover Smith praised the other law enforcement agencies for their cooperation in the case.
Comments
22 Responses to “Authorities: Two State Burglary Ring Busted”
Well said Appletonresident2. They are adults and the punishment should be harsh. I am sure that these 4 men would not like it if someone came into their homes and went through their personal belongings, tore the place up and then stole what they wanted to. This may be their first time getting caught but remember there was more than one house and not done on the same day. This means they had plenty of time between burglaries and they chose to continue the burglaries.
“Sandra” and “Cousin”–You could not be more wrong. If you think anyone believes what your saying is true, please give it up! If these boys had jobs, why weren’t they are work? Why did they need to steal? I know for a fact that two of these “boys” did not have jobs! They had jobs alright, stealing! If the other two had jobs maybe they should have stayed at work and they wouldn’t be wearing a orange jump suit. How would you like it if you came home from work and your back door was standing wide open. Kicked in. Couldn’t even go in your own house until the deputies arrived. Being afraid to go to sleep at night. Afraid to leave your house. Afraid to dry your hair because you couldn’t hear over the dryer! People are not arrested without evidence and believe me they have PLENTY of evidence on these guys! They stole GUNS! some of which were loaded! If they had jobs, why couldn’t they just wait until they got their paycheck for money? All of us make choices everyday—-when you CHOOSE to kick in doors and STEAL from others that’s not peer pressure! That’s criminal. Pure and simple.
Yea its sad for the kids , what kids they are all 18 are older , that’s adults in my book. No what’s sad is u work for everything u got to have sum adults come bust down the door ,flip the bed and tear up the entire house …glad somebody has already said it they all should thank God Mike Williams does not have all of them down there.I get it we all have been young and made bad choices but when u go come in my house uninvited be prepared to take a long dirt nap!!!!! I’m going to protect my family…
Well said Bob.
Don’t think anyone could’ve said it any better!
Well the thing is that they could be good boys with the actions of just hanging with the wrong people.. Or they could have just wanted to do it for the fun. The only people that will know the real answer to this is the kids themself. Whether it was just hanging out with the wrong people or not, they still knew right from wrong. So they are still at fault and guilty for what they have done. NO reason can justify there actions to make it seem better or worse, it is what it is. However this gives no one else a right to judge these kids. Everyone makes mistakes and the only way we will be able to tell what there true intentions are is what they do to pull thereself back up from there mess they have created. We are all hard headed these days. Some to more of an extent than others but its in all of us. We dont see the big picture or understand we need changes in our life until you have real and serious consequences involved.. Im praying for the friends and family of not only the victims but of these kids here, and the kids themself. Hopefully they will see what the consequences of this kind of behavior is and change there life around for the good..
Please enlighten us on what is wrong with this article. Im not familiar with what went on in santa rosa county,but i know what was done to my neighbors one of these guys were identified,they were diffinately there…they deserve to get whats coming to them..like i said in last post…they lucky they are not dead!
So “Cousin” and “Sandra” — you think the law enforcement in two states just arrested them, made all this stuff up and sent out a press release to the media? Sure….why not.
Sandra: You’re so right!! I got the story straight out the mouth, and some (most) of the things and situations stated above aren’t true! & David: Maybe so, but that doesn’t mean someone can’t fall for peer pressure. Everyone can to an extent. These boys, you, even I. They’re good kids. Graduated, had a job, just got in with the wrong type of people and now have to pay.
CONSIDERING:
“How does one rationalize to oneself that it’s OK to just take things from others?”
It’s easy.
First you have to care more for yourself than for those you hurt.
That’s extremely important.
After that, you think to yourself, “Stealing this would make me more money than actually working and there’s the thrill of the danger.”
As to the rationalizing part, you decide you need it and they don’t or they would have installed better locks.
You think they might not even notice it’s gone.
You tell yourself it’s probably insured and stealing from the insurance company isn’t really stealing.
You remember somebody say that all rich people stole from the poor sometime in the past, so you figure you’re just stealing it back.
Mostly though, you don’t bother to rationalize because you really don’t care who suffers as long as you get what you want.
David for more love and understanding,
failing that — better shots
Sandra, it would appear you know a lot about something that no one else knows about.
That could be called an accomplice .
As far as reputation- you cant make excuses for what a person creates themselves.
You earn a reputation by your actions.
Not by being popular with ” the crew”
I know these boys and this situation and alot of the information in this article is not accurate.I know the cops are anxious in wanting to solve these cases but it is not right to go public with matters such as this with incorrect info. They give these boys a horrible reputation as well as give the public false hope. We do deserve to know what is going on seeing as how our families and friends are being affected bc of this but we do not deserve to be lied to.
REGARDING:
“It’s just a shame what happens when you fall into a crowd of the wrong people!”
You don’t fall into a crowd.
You join yourself to it for whatever reason, usually because they’re your kind of people or people you admire and wish to be more like.
David for better people
less scum, er, I mean bad decisions
I hope these guys get what they deserve and learn from it. They are lucky they are not dead..alot of people were arming themselves out in the appleton community. They kicked in the doors of 3 of my neighbors,and stole their property..ransacked their homes. They had people living in fear..even myslef. Im not crazy about guns, but my home is now very well protected and i was ready to use it if they would have kicked in my back door. Its really sad that these young people are ruining their lives by preying on others!!
Baldwin county as well. We work for what we have so these should work hard for our tax dollars to care for them in prison.
@ puzzled “I pray they can get their young lives straightened out before it’s too late. No parent wants to see their kid end up like this”
Better for the parent to see their child like this than what he would have been looked like if he had kicked my back door in… I did not lock my guns up, I had one in each room.
No more of my tax dollars would have been used on him/them!!!
A big thank You, to all law enforcement involved in getting this trash off our streets. Lets hope the DA’s and judges sends a strong message to our youth!!
You do not kick a mans back door in…
I don’t know about the others. But, Caleb ha so much potential & he’s actually a really smart and good kid. It’s just a shame what happens when you fall into a crowd of the wrong people!
@ Puzzled – “I pray they can get their young lives straightened out before it’s too late. No parent wants to see their kid end up like this”
TOO LATE !!!!! They all are old enough to have known better especially the 27 year old who seems to be making breaking into houses/businesses as his steady job. Appears their parents did not do a very good job teaching them to work and not steal. The ONLY future they (if they keep it up) will have is laying in a grave somewhere when someone here in Florida STANDS their ground and shoots the crap out of them all. Nothing I hate more is a THIEF and USA should allow cutting off their dominant hand when caught taking something that does not belong to them.
Glad they got caught … NOW, Throw the book at them all.
How does one rationalize to oneself that it’s OK to just take things from others?
If they’d focused their time/energy on school or a honest job, we’d not be seeing their faces on here today.
I pray they can get their young lives straightened out before it’s too late. No parent wants to see their kid end up like this…
Wonder if this group is responsible for the Cantonment home burglaries in Cantonment?!?
I believe they have been in northern Escambia County too.
A Judge should put them on Work detail and make them pay back every penny!
Thanks for the update. I was wondering if they would ever get caught. Guess they got to bold one to many times. No word yet in the local paper. Thanks for being first to post this. Hope they all have to pay for the crime and do the time. I would hate to see there parents get them off. They hit a few homes but scared many more.