FROM CHIEF P.K. JOHNSON
MILLBROOK POLICE DEPARTMENT
Top Photo: Michael Taylor of Clanton. (Elmore County Jail photo)
On Tuesday, November 8, 2022, Millbrook police officers responded to Walmart with regard to a report of a theft in progress. Upon arrival, officers made contact with two individuals, both of whom were alleged to have been observed in the act of committing theft, by Walmart loss prevention personnel. One of the suspects, later identified as Michael Taylor, a 52-year-old Clanton resident, refused to cooperate with police officers, tampering with physical evidence by swallowing drugs or drug paraphernalia, and actively resisted officers, as they attempted to take him into custody. Officers deployed both chemical irritant and later a Taser to take Taylor into custody. Taylor was placed under arrest, being charged with Theft of Property 3rd Degree, Resisting Arrest and Tampering with Physical Evidence.
The second offender, later identified as Christina Dee Harper, a 28-year-old Clanton resident, while in custody, attempted to discard a plastic bag, which contained a substance believed to be methamphetamine, which was located by officers. Ms. Harper was alleged to have acted in concert with Taylor attempting to take merchandise from the victim business without remitting payment. Harper was placed under arrest, being charged with Theft of Property 3rd Degree and Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance.
Both individuals were transported to the Millbrook Police Department, where they were turned over to detectives with the department’s Criminal Investigative Unit, processed and later transported to the Elmore County Jail.
I honestly believe that there is some validity to the theory that moon phases affect people’s behavior. It certainly appears to have done so over the last couple of days, because we’ve been exceptionally busy. In speaking with our investigators, during their interview, one of the alleged offenders admitting coming to Millbrook for the purpose of committing theft at Walmart. Apparently, these folks don’t pay attention to either local news coverage or the county jail rosters.
I can’t think of a worse place to commit a theft, nor is it ever a good idea to be in possession of illegal narcotics while attempting to commit a felony crime and resisting arrest is always ill advised. As I’ve previously stated numerous times, Walmart has outstanding surveillance equipment, their loss prevention staff do a great job in coordinating with us and our officers stand at the ready to respond to these calls for service and apprehend these offenders.
That said, both of these individuals appear to have travelled this road before and apparently did not learn from previous experiences. I appreciate the relationship that we have with our local businesses and the work done by our officers and investigators involved in this case. Everyone involved did a great job.
