FROM CHIEF P.K. JOHNSON
MILLBROOK POLICE DEPARTMENT
Editor’s Note: All of these photos are from the suspects’ drivers license photos and are not mugshots.
Four recent Arrests involving Property Crimes ended in 50 individual charges to the suspects arrested by Millbrook Police recently.
During the past year and continuing into the first two months of 2020, officials at the Millbrook Police Department and the Millbrook Municipal Court have noticed a growing problem and a disturbing trend. Repeat offenders engaged in property crimes are targeting retail businesses at an alarming rate. During the past week the following people were placed under arrest, with each being charged for multiple incidents of alleged theft occurring at a single retail business located in Millbrook:
On February 18, 2020, Ashley Smitherman, a 32 year old Montgomery resident, was placed under arrest being charged with (6) counts of Theft of Property 4th Degree and (6) counts of Criminal Trespass 3rd Degree
On February 20, 2020, Delaine N. Davis, a 50 year old Prattville resident, was placed under arrest being charged with (12) counts of Theft of Property 4th Degree.
On February 21, 2020, Stephanie Pike, a 43 year old Prattville resident, was placed under arrest being charged with (18) counts of Theft of Property 4th Degree.
On February 21, 2020, James Hitson, a 43 year old Prattville resident, was placed under arrest being charged with (8) counts of Theft of Property 4th Degree.
Unfortunately, this is not a recent development, nor is it unique to our city. All across the state of Alabama and the entire country, people go into retail businesses each day for the sole purpose of committing the crime of theft, which is commonly referred to as “shoplifting.” It’s always occurred. It appears to be occurring more frequently in cities like Millbrook, which has multiple connections to the interstate and stores in close proximity.
I’ve been in law enforcement for 31 years and I’ve never seen it as bad as what we are experiencing at this time. Not only are the occurrences more frequent, but now we are noticing that we have the same people, some having been previously arrested for the same offense reoffend multiple times until they are identified and re-arrested on current charges.
Of the four individuals that we arrested on warrants of arrest last week, all had offended at the business multiple times, with two of the alleged offenders having previously been identified by loss prevention officials as offenders at their business location or businesses in the area.
One of those alleged offenders, Smitherman, had actually been trespassed from the business, yet continued to enter the business repeatedly and allegedly continued to commit thefts while inside the business, hence she was not only charged with (6) counts of Theft of Property 4th Degree, she was also charged for with (6) counts of Criminal Trespassing 3rd Degree or one count of Trespassing for each time she entered the business.
Our businesses are tired of dealing with this issue, as are our police officers, court officials and our citizens. This affects the businesses, law enforcement and our citizens in a negative manner each time it occurs. Businesses are losing product to the thefts and having to redirect and distribute personnel to the area of loss prevention, which must have an adverse impact on customer service and the business as a whole.
It redirects the resources of law enforcement from other areas and impacts our ability to maintain a presence in other places, as well as our ability to respond to calls for service. It certainly impacts our citizens, who depend on these businesses for the goods and services they provide and the increased cost that we all pay at the checkout line.
The Millbrook Police Department has been and will continue to work with our business partners to combat this trend. Most of our retailers maintain excellent surveillance systems, employ loss prevention personnel and we work very well together to identify and apprehend the individuals committing these criminal acts.
In addition, we have created a new unit with-in the department for the specific purpose of seeking out people that have outstanding warrants. It is their job to locate and apprehend these people and to get them before the courts in an expedited manner, so that hopefully they will understand their actions have consequences.
Our court system here has made it known that if you come into our city to commit these crimes and are found guilty; you’ll more than likely wind up spending some time in the Elmore County Jail. It is my intent to do everything that we can as a law enforcement agency to send a strong message that while Millbrook is open for business; we are referring to legitimate business. If you come here to commit crimes….our local businesses are working with us to help identify you. They will obtain warrants of arrest and prosecute you one you are arrested. We now have a unit tasked to expedite that process once that happens.
They are our Criminal Apprehension Team and they are the unit responsible for the arrest listed above. I am extremely proud of the work that they are doing and look forward to announcing more arrest in the future. If you’re looking at targeting our businesses here in Millbrook……….you may want to reconsider!!!!
