Sheriff’s K-9 Sutton tracking during this morning’s search.
Shortly after 3:00 AM this morning, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to two people peering into vehicles near Hamilton Place and Reed Road in East Jefferson County. Deputies quickly arrived in the area but were unable to locate the suspects. While still patrolling the neighborhood, a deputy spotted a vehicle displaying a non-registered, new vehicle tag. Upon further investigation of the vehicle, it was determined that the vehicle had been recently reported stolen out of Birmingham Police jurisdiction. Multiple firearms both inside and near the vehicle were observed by the deputies. At least one of the firearms had been reported as stolen.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s K-9 Units were dispatched to the area to attempt to locate the subjects who had been spotted by the watchful residents. During the track, property emanating from likely additional vehicle break-ins was located. These additional break-ins are thought to have occurred within the city limits of Birmingham. Detectives with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Property Crimes Division will be investigating the burglaries that occurred within the county’s jurisdiction, while Birmingham Police Department will handle those that occurred within their jurisdiction.
“We encourage our citizens to keep their vehicles locked and to remove their valuables when they exit the vehicle for the night. These thieves were obviously looking for unlocked vehicles and those that contained valuable items and firearms. This is the first step in helping us to thwart vehicle burglaries. The second, is to do exactly what these residents did, keep your eyes and ears open – and when you see something, say something. Our citizens are one of the most invaluable resources for stopping crime in Jefferson County and we appreciate our partnership with them. This is another example of how well we work with our residents as a team”, said Sheriff Mark Pettway.