Bumbling BP Burglar Botches 2-Hour Burglary (With Video)
January 11, 2016
The search is on for a bumbling BP burglar who spent nearly two hours trying steal an ATM but failed.
About 2:30 Monday morning the burglar can been seen on surveillance video approaching the door of the Davisville BP Station on Highway 97 a few miles south of the state line. He tried to break the front door with screwdriver or similar object. And a brick. And he tried to pry the door open. All of those attempts fail.
He returns nearly about an hour later with a sledgehammer and breaks through the front door glass. He reaches inside to unlock the door, but that didn’t work because a key is needed. He disappears from the camera view, returning several minutes later with a sledgehammer. This time, he manages to pull the sheet of glass out of the door.
The glass crashes into the burglar. He then pulls the sheet of glass around to the side of the store and waits another 10-15 minutes to return to the door. He surveys the glass-less door, and then pulls on the handle. But wait….he forgot removing the glass didn’t actually unlock the door. So he ducks under the door handle and enters the business. He slides a Florida Lottery display out of the way (including perhaps a $1.3 billion playslip if only he had a couple of bucks during store hours), appears to get spooked and ducks out of the door before ducking right back inside.
Then he grabs a PenAir ATM machine, pulls on it only to discover that it’s bolted to the floor. He then fled back outside. In the end, our bumbling burglar botched his break-in but is now a wanted man for burglary, criminal mischief and perhaps other charges.
It’s believed that the burglar was parked around beside or behind the BP, perhaps not even driving off during the extended burglary attempt. He may have been scared off when a newspaper delivery person arrived, or when the alarm sounded after he entered the business.
Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Three Teens Charged With Attempted Murder After Fiery Crash On Highway 29
January 11, 2016
Three 16-year old juveniles have now been arrested on multiple felony charges including attempted murder in connection with a fiery two vehicle crash in Molino after a burglary and shots fired incident late last year.
Tracy Deshawn Lett, Jr. of Pensacola, Mariachi Jerrell Chambers of Cantonment and and Vashawn Lamond Brown of Molino were charged as adults with attempted felony murder, grand theft of a vehicle, criminal mischief and armed burglary of a conveyance. Each remains jailed without bond.
About 4:50 a.m. on November 28, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the area of Highway 29 and Barth Road for a burglary of a vehicle in progress. In the meantime, the burglary victim told dispatchers that he was following the suspects south on Highway 29, and then he advised the suspects were shooting at him and his vehicle.
When the suspects reached Barth Road in Molino, they veered into oncoming traffic and struck a pickup truck, according to multiple witnesses. The driver of the pickup, Randall Enfinger, and his 15-year old granddaughter, Abbigail Barninger, were critically injured.
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A deputy that arrived on scene a short time later reported finding the suspects’ crumpled vehicle with the engine compartment on fire. He observed the driver, later identified as Chambers, being removed from the driver’s seat by a passerby and Lett trapped with his legs pinned under the dash of the burning vehicle. The deputy and passersby were unable to free him, and the deputy tried unsuccessfully to put out the fire using a fire extinguisher. The deputy and bystanders then used dirt to smother the engine compartment fire and before pulling Lett from the vehicle.
The deputy then reportedly noticed that across the intersection one of the burglary victims was attempting to detain Brown. The deputy handcuffed and detained Brown.
The burglary victim told deputies that he was at his residence in the 500 block of Highway 164 when he heard his dogs barking and walking outside on his porch to see two males breaking into his 2006 Pontiac sedan. He said they ran away after he yelled at them. The burglary victim said his brother heard the suspects get into a vehicle and his brother followed the dark colored vehicle down Highway 29.
The burglary victim’s brother said he got into his pickup truck and followed the suspects down Highway 29. He said he tried to get around in front of them, according to court documents, but they came around his vehicle and shot at him five or six times. His pickup was hit at least three times. After observing the wreck, the victim’s brother said he chased one of the suspects, later identified as Brown, into the tree line and brought him back to the corner of the intersection.
An Escambia County EMS employee told deputies that Brown said he was walking home when he was chased and hit by a truck, dragged into the woods and hit several times. He told the EMS employee that he had found a gun on the side of the road and kept it for personal protection.
An investigation determined that the wrecked vehicle had been stolen earlier from a residence in the 9000 block of Barth Road where it was unlocked with a spare key in the trunk.
A debit or credit card belonging to the vehicle’s owner was recovered from Brown’s pocket, as was an empty magazine for a semi-automatic handgun that was recovered from the area were Brown was stopped, according to an arrest report.
The entire incident was investigated by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The Florida Highway Patrol responded to the scene but not process the traffic accident or make a report, according to court documents.
Brown and Lett were among five defendants charged in 2014 for their role in an August 2013 burglary at Molino Park Elementary School. Most the stolen items — including computers and iPads– were burned by the suspects. They were placed on juvenile probation under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Justice through age 19. Each was ordered to undergo counseling, and follow a curfew of 7 p.m. Sunday though Thursday nights and 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. It was not clear if that probation was still in effect at the time of the November 2015 burglary and traffic crash.
Pictured top and inset: Three people were injured when this vehicle crashed and burst into flames on Highway 29 at Barth Road November 8. Pictured below: The vehicle collided with this pickup, in which two people were trapped. Pictured bottom two photos: Bullet holes in a pickup that was reportedly following the car down Highway 29 after an attempted burglar in McDavid. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Suspect In Christmas Day Shooting Arrested
January 11, 2016
A man wanted in connection with a shooting that occurred Christmas Day has been arrested.
Calvin Dudley Thomas Jr., 21, of Pensacola turned himself in late Sunday morning and was charged with attempted murder.
The incident occurred around 8 p.m. Christmas near the intersection of F and DeSoto streets. Officers who responded to the area found a 20-year-old male who had been shot multiple times. The man remains hospitalized and has had multiple surgeries.
Last week, police arrested Reaquion Markease Smith, 19, of the 4600 block of Bellview Avenue, Pensacola, and charged him with attempted murder in the case.. In addition, Franklin D. Bates II, 22, of the 2600 block of North L Street, Pensacola, was arrested last Thursday morning in Panama City and charged with attempted murder.
Today Is Deadline To Apply For $75K In IP Grants
January 11, 2016
Interntional Paper Pensacola Mill (IP) will award $75,000 in Foundation Grants in 2016, in honor of the mill’s 75th anniversary. The foundation normally awards $50,000 per year, but the amount was increased this year due to the anniversary.
The deadline for all 2016 grant applications is today, January 11.
Grants are awarded by the IP Foundation in Memphis which focuses on environmental education, literacy, employee involvement, and critical community needs. Applicants must be a registered 501c3 non-profit organization, school, or qualifying government entity to apply.
For more information about the Foundation and/or to apply online, interested applicants should visit www.ipgiving.com.
For more information on the grant process, contact Janice Cooper Holmes, communications manager, at 850-968-4203 or e-mail janice.holmes@ipaper.com.
Molino Man Charged With DUI After Sunday Night Crash
January 11, 2016
A Molino man was arrested following an alcohol related crash Sunday night on Highway 29 at Quintette Road.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 50-year old James Theodre Sasse of Molino was northbound on Highway 29. He told the FHP that he was cut off by a silver Nissan Sedan. Sasse swerved off Highway 29 and struck a fence about 7:50 p.m. The vehicle then traveled into a yard at the intersection, coming to a stop just short of the residence.
Sasse was booked into the Escambia County Jail charged with driving under the influence.
There were no injuries in the accident.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Weather Service: Be Careful With Space Heaters
January 11, 2016
With today’s cold weather and another freeze forecast for tonight, the National Weather Service offers the following tips to those using space heaters:
Space heater safety tip from the National Weather Service in Mobile. Courtesy image for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Traffic Delays: Highway 29 And Highway 4 In North Escambia
January 11, 2016
Drivers can expect delays this week on both Highway 29 and Highway 4 in the North Escambia area as follows:
Highway 29 – Northbound traffic will encounter lane restrictions each day through Friday beginning at Champion Drive and continuing north as crews begin construction of guardrail pads. Also, motorists can expect intermittent northbound lane closures to occur within the town of Century as workers continue construction activities on sidewalk repairs.
Highway 4- Lane closures can be expected on Highway 4 at the Escambia River Bridge from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday as crews perform routine maintenance.
All planned construction activities are weather dependent and may be re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Century Won’t Take On Alabama Football; Reschedules Meeting
January 11, 2016
The Century Town Council won’t try to compete with the National Championship football game for attention.
The council normally meets the first and third Monday nights of each month, but the third Monday this month falls on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. The council will traditionally reschedule that meeting for the second Monday night of January, but they decided more people are likely to watch the big game than attend a council meeting.
In yielding to Alabama and Clemson, the Century Town Council rescheduled their next regular council meeting for Tuesday, January 19 at 7 p.m.
The council does have a workshop meeting set for this week. At 5:30 p.m. Thursday, they will discuss the possible creation of a Community Redevelopment Agency.
Low 20’s Tonight
January 11, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 22-25. Calm wind.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 58. Wind chill values between 25 and 35 early. Light west wind becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 30. West wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 59. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 34. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 61. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday: A chance of rain before noon, then a chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 64. East wind around 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Friday Night: A slight chance of showers before midnight, then a slight chance of rain after midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 51.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31.
M.L.King Day: Sunny, with a high near 50.
Nathan Lavoid Lowry
January 11, 2016
Mr. Nathan Lavoid Lowry, age 75, passed away Saturday, January 9, 2016, in Atmore.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 11 a.m. at Petty Eastside Chapel.
Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until service time.
Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery.