Precinct 4 Captain's Notes

Welcome

I am Capt. Eddie Patrick, Commander of the 4th precinct, and I would like to welcome you to our website. The website was designed to facilitate communication between our citizens and the staff of the Fourth Precinct.

Our effectiveness is contingent upon a positive relationship with our community. The members of our precinct are committed to providing the highest quality police service available in a manner that is designed to garner respect from our citizens.

I encourage you to explore our website and contact me with any questions or suggestions that you may have. We will continue to expand our website and improve the content to make it useful for you.


Captain Eddie Patrick
Commander, Fourth Precinct
Mobile Police Department
4712 Moffett Rd.
Mobile, AL 36618
251-438-7072
william.patrick@cityofmobile.org


Friends,

We are encountering crime in several areas that require our immediate attention, and we need your assistance. Residential burglaries and air conditioner thefts are a constant problem that we are working to address. Here are the very latest cases that we are working on:



RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES:



PRINCETON WOODS is experiencing an increase in burglary attempts. It is quite evident that the suspects are juveniles. Please keep your eyes open and call us immediately if you observe anyone that is suspicious. Call us if juveniles are knocking on your door, ringing your doorbell, etc. They usually do this to find out if you are home, if you are, they will ask for someone that doesn’t live in your house. They may ask to do some work for you, etc. If you do not answer your door, they will likely walk around the back of your house and break a window, or force a door open to burglarize your home. We need you to stop these suspects before they walk down the street and burglarize one of your neighbors, so please call us if they knock on your door, or ring your door bell.



1) 6000 block of Alston Ct, this happened between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. yesterday.

2) 6000 block of Gentilly Dr N, this house had an alarm that sounded at approximately 6:30 p.m. Officers responded and found that someone had entered the house and removed some electronics. The officers searched the area and found the property hidden nearby. ALARMS are very useful, as you can see from this case. The suspects knew the alarm had sounded and were forced to abandon the small amount of property that they were able to take from the residence.

3) 6700 block of Woolrich Dr S. 2 suspects attempted to force their way into the residence, but was scared away when the ALARM sounded. This occurred at approximately 4:45 p.m.The suspects are described as follows:

2 black males, 15-17 years old, 5’07”-5’-09”, 150

4) 1200 block of Henckley Dr. This crime occurred yesterday at approximately 10:00 a.m. The victim was home and heard several loud knocks at his door. He was asleep, and retrieved a firearm. He confronted the suspect, who promptly fled the residence on foot. The suspect is described as follows:

black male, ~19 years of age, 5’10, 170





GULFWOOD AREA:



We had two lawnmowers stolen during Sunday night. One was stolen in the 300 block of Gulfwood Dr, and the other was stolen from Stillwood Ln, A neighbor on Gulfwood observed the suspects and described them as 2 black males driving a full size pickup with a two tone colored tail gate, and it may have had a camper shell. This occurred at approximately 10:30 Sunday night. The suspects parked their truck on a cul de sac, then walked behind the victim’s fence and stole the lawnmower.



Air-conditioner thefts: Air conditioner thefts, or rather vandalism, are on the increase across the country. This is due to soaring prices for scrap metal, e.g. copper. The thieves target homes that are for sale or in foreclosure, basically any unoccupied house. We try to patrol and keep an eye on these homes, but they are too numerous for us to do so effectively. We need your help. Please be diligent in looking at the vacant homes in your neighborhood. If you see anyone that you do not recognize as a real estate agent, please call us. DO NOT CONFRONT THE PERSON YOURSELF, but call us at 208-7211.



I want to publicly recognize and thank Spectrum Collision for their recent contribution to the Fourth Precinct. The owner, John Kirby, donated some much needed equipment to the Fourth Precinct for our use in investigations. The equipment will be well used by our investigators and will be instrumental in helping us to serve all of you better. Thank you! Spectrum Collision.



Have a good week!



Friends,

I hope that you all have a great weekend, and that this oil spill will soon be under control. We are continuing our battle against the criminals in the Fourth Precinct. Here is the latest crime news from our area of town:



ROBBERY:

1) Brent Hill Apartmetns, 1800 Shelton Beach Rd. The victim reported that he was robbed of his vehicle in the parking lot of his apartment complex by two suspects. His vehicle was recovered in a ditch off of Halls Mill Rd, before he reported it was stolen.



RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES: We had a bad day yesterday in the Athey Rd area. We had 3 burglaries committed in the Athey Rd vicinity.



1) 1100 and 1200 block of Middle Ring Rd

2) 1800 block of Princeton Woods Dr W

3) 6500 block of Grace St



Remember to remove valuables from your vehicle and keep an eye out for your neighbors. Report any suspicious activity immediately by calling us at 208-7211.




Friends,

I hope that everyone had a fun Mardi Gras! We are all glad that it was a very safe Mardi Gras. I have a few crimes that I need to bring to your attention. I would like to welcome all of our new friends from Princeton Woods Subdivision. I met with a good group of residents from that neighborhood last week, and I am happy to report that they have decided to form a Community Action Group. We look forward to working closely with them right away.



RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES:



1) 5100 Pineview Ln S, the rear door was kicked open, but the suspect was scared away by the victim’s burglar alarm.

2) 5105 Norton Ln

3) 5429 Colonial Cr W

4) Twin Oaks Apts, 6451 Old Shell Rd

5) 1657 Gentilly Dr W



ROBBERY-CAR JACKING:



Country Club Woods Apartments, 4031 Airport Blvd, on Thursday, at 2:30 p.m. 2 black males approached the victim as he was exiting his vehicle in the parking lot. They demanded his money and car keys, while pointing a pistol at him. He complied with their demands and was unharmed. The suspects left in the victim’s 2007 Dodge Caliber, dark blue in color.



Suspect description: #1-Black Male, 6’04”, 160 pounds, dark hooded jacket, black and red ski mask.

#2-Black Male, 5’08”, 160 pounds, dark ski mask



Mayor Sam Jones announced today a new Crime Prevention initiative that the Police Department is undertaking. The program is a collaborative effort between the Mobile Police Department and Crimestoppers. Citizens will be able to text crime tips to the following number; 274637 (CRIMES). Watch tonight’s news for full details on this innovative approach to stopping crime before it happens, and/or getting tips on crimes that have already occurred. Tipsters will be able to remain anonymous and also receive a cash reward for tips leading to an arrest.


Have a great week!



Friends,

We are continuing to make progress in addressing the crime issues that 2009 brought us. I have a few crimes that I want to bring to your attention, with a suspect vehicle description in one.



RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES:

1) Attempted burglary yesterday, 4545 Eastview Dr, suspect description: black male, black hoodie, black pants and tennis shoes



RESIDENTIAL THEFT:

1) 201 Wacker Ln S. 2 white males were observed stealing some tools from a car port. The witness observed the suspects and knew that the owner was out of town. The suspects fled with the witness following them. They were described as being in their 30’s. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: Tan colored Plymouth.



2) 801 Princeton Woods Dr W, A/C unit stole from residence within the last week.

3) 203 Ridgewood Pl, generator stolen from a shed



ROBBERY:

1) Bebo’s Springhill Market, I failed to mention this last week. A black male robbed the business on Tuesday, January 26th. I am going to attempt to attach a photograph of the suspect. Contact us if you know, or see this person. 208-7211.









Friends,





RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES



1) 2951 Steadham Dr

2) 1804 Sawada Dr





RESIDENTIAL THEFTS:



1) 1108 Baylor Dr-riding mower stolen off of carport



AUTOMOBILE BURGLARIES:



1) 1639 Phillips Ln

2) 6501 Zeigler Blvd

3) 4031 Holleman Dr



Stillwood Ln W-On Wednesday night someone rummaged through a vehicle on Stillwood Ln W. The perpetrator appeared to have been scared away by the owner’s dog; way to go Walter. Fortunately, nothing was taken. We have increased our patrols in the area and ask that you pay attention to your barking dogs, or your neighbor’s barking dog. Call us if you suspect anything is amiss. The non-emergency number is 208-7211. Please keep all valuables out of your vehicle, and your vehicle locked.





UPS Shipments: I received some word last month of a package or two being removed from the front door step of someone’s residence. One other case happened at the beginning of this month on Forestdale Dr. This method of theft might become a trend this year. Please look out for your neighbors and report anyone that you see removing packages from their porch. You might want to consider having your packages shipped to your place of employment (if possible) or to a relative’s house that is usually at home. I actually got this smart tip from one of our citizens in the Country Club Village community. I won’t claim ownership of her idea, but I will gladly pass it on to everyone.



I hope that you all have a wonderful and safe weekend!




Friends,

We have made several arrests in the past few days that are note worthy. I will email them separately from the Crime Update.



On Thursday, November 5, 2009, Officer Mona Wade responded to an address on Memory for a reported burglary in progress complaint. Officer Wade and her rookie Officer Kodi Johnson, observed two suspects that fled on foot. Our officers gave chase and were able to capture two out of three suspects. Lt. Morgan and a host of other officers also participated in this arrest. It was truly a team effort. The arrest would not have been possible without the alert neighbor taking the time to notify the police department of their observations. Once again we can all see the benefit of looking out for each other.



The two suspects were identified as Joshua Buggs, 22 years of age, and Markel Lucy, 24 years of age. Buggs has prior misdemeanor arrests, with this being his first felony. Buggs is currently still in the Metro-Jail. Lucy has prior drug arrests and a Rape charge that he was arrested for on October 8th, 2009. He was released on those two charges and resumed his life as a criminal by participating in this burglary. He is currently still in jail, where he will hopefully remain until he faces a trial.



The investigation determined that these two suspects are responsible for a burglary on Imperial Dr. They were apparently casing a house on Memory Ln when the observant neighbor called the police.



An employee of Buffalo Wild Wings observed a suspect in another employee’s vehicle on November 7th, 2009. The witness quickly notified the police department as the suspect fled the scene. Fourth Precinct Officers were nearby at Hillcrest Rd and Airport Blvd. They observed the suspect as he turned onto Hillcrest Rd. (Who says the police are never around when you need them?) The officers were able to stop the suspect at Hillcrest Rd and Old Shell Rd. The suspect, identified as 23 year old Robert Harris, was found to be in possession of a firearm. He was positively identified by the witness and transported to Metro Jail for Unlawful Breaking and Entering a Vehicle and No Pistol Permit. Robert Harris has served time in prison. He was last arrested in July of this year for Unlawful Breaking and Entering a Vehicle and PROBATION VIOLATION. He was released on his own recognizance. I guess he didn’t rehabilitate himself in the last few months.



Officer Muscgrove and Officer Emmons from Lt. Berra’s Squad, were the arresting officers on this case. They did an outstanding job of spotting the suspect as he fled and taking him into custody without incident. Our investigators will be closely looking at other similar crimes in the area to see if Harris may be responsible for them.



Harris has prior arrests for Robbery and Felony Theft. He has been released from Metro Jail on his latest charges that he accrued over the weekend. I will be curious to see if he was reformed during his few hours of captivity over the weekend. We will be contacting the court this week to try to have his bond revoked.



Detective Heath Harville was on his way to work an extra-job this weekend. He attempted to make a traffic stop when the vehicle refused to stop. A brief, low-speed pursuit ended in the arrest of Royce Woods, 22 years of age. The stop was initiated at Overlook and University and ended at Overlook and Morlee Rd. Woods was found to be in possession of a firearm and marijuana. Woods has no prior arrests with our agency.



Detective Harville was assisted by several officers from Lt. Berra’s squad.



During the night our Department was notified by the Thomasville Police Department that a warrant was signed on a female identified as Elise Daugherty and William Traeger. Thomasville Police advised us of a possible address for Daugherty on Jordan Ln. Sgt. Billie Rowland checked the address and found her vehicle to be at the residence. Daugherty was arrested without incident. I would like to recognize Sgt. Rowland’s attentiveness to the advisory issued by the Thomasville Police Department. His eagerness to assist another law enforcement agency made this arrest possible, and I am sure that they appreciate his efforts.



I hope to send out a crime update later today, and I am proud to say that this Arrest Report is much longer than the Crime Update will be.



I also want to mention that one of our newer officers, Officer Joshua Joerger, was recognized by one of your neighbors this weekend. She wrote a very nice letter to the Press Register thanking the previously unknown officer for taking the time out of his day to pose for a picture with her son. He was dressed as a police officer for Halloween and Officer Joerger gave him a wave when he saw him. The letter reads as follows:



“I’d like to thank the young police officer who was patrolling my daughter’s neighborhood on Halloween.



At the exact moment the officer drove by, my 3-year-old grandson, Crawford, set out to trick-or-treat in his policeman costume. The officer gave Crawford a thumb’s-up wave, and then he stopped long enough for us to take a picture of the two “officers.”



I wish I knew the officer’s name, because his kindness to an excited little boy will be one of my family’s treasured Halloween memories.”



The Press Register took the time to show the picture of the two “officers” to the Police Department. The Department assisted in identifying the officer. In today’s world of negative news, it is extremely satisfying for a citizen to take the time to write a letter of thanks to one of our officers. It is also encouraging to see the newspaper take the time to identify the officer and print the picture in the paper.



Friends,

We are working hard to stop a couple of current crime issues. It has been a week since my last update, so this update will not include all of the crimes committed in our precinct for the previous week. I will try to illuminate our current problem areas, and shed some light on recent robberies.



RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES: The area of Zeigler Blvd around Middle Ring has been plagued with residential burglaries in the last two months. We are also beginning to see stolen automobiles and some auto-burglaries. The following is a list of residences that have been burglarized in the past week:



1-6301 Summer Pl

2-6817 Marlboro Ct

3-208 Vanderbilt Dr

4-6500 Princeton Woods Dr

5-664 Victoria Pl

6-470 Waverly Pl

7-1513 Carlisle Dr

8-4662 Oak Ridge Rd



SUSPECT VEHICLE DESCRIPTIONS:



A black pickup truck, described as being a Nissan Titan, x-tra cab, was used in a burglary yesterday at 6301 Summer Pl. We have a suspect in this case, and are working to gather the necessary evidence for an arrest.



We are still looking for a black Nissan Altima, with a partial license plate number of 4N????. This vehicle was used in an attempted burglary last week on Waverly DPl.



AUTO-BURGLARIES: Several attempted auto-thefts occurred over the weekend in the Parkmont area, again this is off of Zeigler Blvd, near Athey Rd. The following locations have been targeted by auto-burglars in the past week:



1-3951 Bourgeois Dr

2-6413 Waverly Dr

3-955 Adrian Ln

4-850 Victoria Pl

5-375 Hillcrest Rd



AUTO-THEFTS:



1-6208 Parkbrook Dr



ROBBERIES:



Country Club Woods Apartments-4031 Airport Blvd. On October 20, 2009, at approximately 8:40 p.m. a male was approached in the parking lot and robbed of his cell phone.



Suspect Description: Black Male, 20-25 years of age, wearing a yellow hoody with black and white spots, gray jogging pants.



2100 block of Hamilton Rd, On October 22, 2009, shortly after midnight two black males forcefully entered the residence and demanded cash. It appears that the victims and at least one suspect are acquaintances.



Suspect Description: 1-Black Male, 20’s, 5’07, 160, light complexion, black T-Shirt and blue jeans

2-Black Male, 20’s, 5’07”, 130, light complexion, black T-Shirt and blue jeans



Vehicle Description: Blue & Gray Chevrolet Impala, possibly 2009 model, with tinted windows.





ASSAULT:



6700 block of Anders Dr, Two black males asked to speak to a family member at this location. When the victim refused to open the door the suspects fired one round into the residence, striking the victim. The victim’s injuries are not life-threatening.



Suspect Description: 1-Black Male, 25 years of age, 5’08, 160, wearing a red shirt



Suspect Vehicle: Lincoln, possibly gray in color



SOLICITORS: Some of the door to door solicitors returned to our area this week. They are claiming to be collecting money for baseball, cheerleading, etc. They regularly claim to be a doctor’s relative, to lend credibility to them. DO NOT be fooled by these con-artists. Call us immediately, if you encounter them. 208-7211.





I hope that you all enjoy a good weekend! I will be off tomorrow, due to a sick child. He was diagnosed with H1N1 earlier today.



Friends,

We have seen a rise in residential burglaries this week. I am going to give you a synopsis and ask that you be alert and call us immediately if you see any suspicious activities in these areas.



RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES:



Thursday, September 24th-



1)6505 and 6501 Zeigler Blvd

two black males were seen driving an orange Chevrolet Impala, box style, 80’s model car, with black rims missing hubcaps





Friday, September 25th-

2)836 Challen Cr

a juvenile suspect has been arrested for this offense



3)1208 Garland St

shed burglary, lawn mower stolen



4)9 Bredon Ct

flat screen television



5)6006 Waringwood Dr S (this actually occurred on Tuesday, September 26th)

gun, dvd player, x-box



Monday, September 28th-

6)169 June St

coins



7)1800 Cody Rd N





8)1519 Deerwood Dr

tv, nintendo



9)951 McNeil Ave

known person



Wednesday, September 30th-



10)5 Lancaster-Attempt burglary

*someone tried to pry open a rear window to gain entry, but was unsuccessful. A neighbor reported to me earlier in the week that he saw a 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe, maroon in color driving slowly through the neighborhood. The vehicle was occupied by a black male and female. We can not confirm that this vehicle was involved in any criminal activity, and do not limit your attention to only this vehicle.



*11)813 Deerfield Dr

television was stolen



12)4054 N. Seabreeze Rd

game system stolen



13)1461 Wilkins Rd

laptop and 2 flat screen televisions



Thursday, October 1st-

*14) Parkwood Dr-ATTEMPT BURGLARY

We had an attempt burglary today. The suspect is a black male riding a red bicycle. Please notify us immediately if you see someone similar riding through the Deerfield neighborhood, or the surrounding neighborhoods. We have extra officers in the area to respond quickly to any call.



*We strongly believe that these two crimes are related.

















Captain Eddie Patrick

Commander, Fourth Precinct

4712 Moffett Rd

Mobile, AL 36618

438-7021

william.patrick@cityofmobile.org

www.4thpct.com





Bay Fest Information and Safety Tips

As Bay Fest kicks into gear this Friday, October 2nd through October 4th, the Mobile Police Department would like to emphasize some safety tips, information, and recommendations for the upcoming event.

• Attend the event with family or friends.
• Park in designated areas.
• Secure important belongings inside of vehicles and out of view.
• Parents should place an identity card in their child’s pocket in the event they become separated from one another. The card should provide the name of the child, address, telephone contact numbers and the name of a relative.
• In the event that parents and children are separated, the children should be instructed to go to nearest police officer.
• Adults are encouraged to establish a post-event meeting place for family and friends in case you become separated.
• Wear light clothing, comfortable shoes, sunglasses, and sunscreen or a hat.
• Drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated.
• A city ordinance strictly forbids glass containers in public.
• No underage drinking is allowed. Uniformed and special undercover police details will arrest violators.
• If you need police assistance during the event, advise the nearest uniformed officer.
• Please cooperate with all requests from police officers.
• Mobile Police will enforce a “no weapons” policy. Persons found in possession of weapons will be arrested. Pistol permits do not allow possession of firearms during Bay Fest.
• Uniformed and plainclothes officers will be patrolling designated areas of the crowds to identify and arrest persons engaging in criminal activity.
• Pets are prohibited during Bay Fest, except for special assistance animals.
• Skateboards and motorized scooters are prohibited.


Friends,

We are continuing to battle crime on several fronts. We have seen some robberies to individuals in apartment complexes, but there is more to the crime than meets the eye. One person has been a repeat victim. This person’s boyfriend is currently in Metro Jail charged with, you guessed it, Robbery. This victim also had her car stolen a day or two after she was robbed.

Last night we received a call of suspicious persons at an apartment complex on Dicken’s Ferry Rd. Our officers were able to stop the suspects before they committed a robbery. Officer Eleni Conditt and Officer Brantley Townsend, with assistance from other officers, stopped the vehicle on Hillcrest Rd near Cedar Bend Ct. These brave officers encountered 4 males that were armed with a shotgun, pistol, and Uzi. The suspects also had additional items that were to be used to conceal their identities. I will post the suspect’s names, pictures, etc. at a later date on the website. I don’t want to impede the current investigation, however. I bring this to your attention for two reasons; 1) to emphasize the need in calling us when you see, or hear, something suspicious, 2) to let you know that our officers, YOUR officers, are doing a great job!


RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES:

Beat 46
Gentilly Dr W-1600 block
Barker Dr W-1200 block
Carlisle Dr-1600 block
Lucerne Dr-1300 block
Howell’s Ferry Rd-5800 block

Other residential burglaries have occurred but are sporadic and do not appear related.


Beat 41
ARREST: Woodhill Dr. A residential burglary occurred yesterday on Woodhill Dr. The homeowner was notified by a friend at a local pawnshop that two suspects were attempting to sell his property. He quickly notified Third Precinct officers. Two suspects were apprehended after a brief pursuit and a third person remains at large. The two suspects were identified as Eddie Lacy, and Tyree Carter. The suspects were driving a Mercury Grand Marquis, tan in color, bearing AL License plate 2A98R09. If you have seen this vehicle in your neighborhood, please let me know. If you see it in the future, call us at 208-7211.

Lancaster Dr. A burglary occurred on Lancaster earlier this month. Silver was stolen.


COMMERCIAL BURGLARIES:

Beat 41
Bebo’s Convenience Store-Old Shell Rd and Wacker Ln (this business was burglarized twice over the weekend) the same suspect has been burglarizing other businesses throughout Mobile.

Exxon Service Station-Old Shell Rd and McGregor (same suspect as above)

This person is concealed, so I have no description to share. He did sustain an injury during one of the burglaries that caused him to leave behind a sufficient amount of blood.


AUTOMOBILE BURGLARIES:

Beat 41 and 42
On Monday night, August 31, 2009, we had a vehicle burglary in Kingswood Dr. The suspect is described as being a white male, late teens, wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans. He was occupying a LATE MODEL GOLD SEDAN, POSSIBLY A VOLVO. No property was taken.

Also on Monday night, August 31, 2009, around 11:00 pm we had a truck burglarized on Chelsea Dr. Baseball equipment and a purse were stolen.

Monday, August 31, 2009, someone entered an unlocked vehicle on Austill Ln. No property was taken.


Beat 44
MOBILE TENNIS CENTER: We have had several cars burglarized in the past week at the Mobile Tennis Center. We do not have a good description of a suspect.



AUTO-THEFT:

We are seeing a city-wide trend in stolen motorcycles. Most of these are occurring at apartment complexes. The targeted motorcycles are the Suzuki and similar racing style motorcycles.

One witness reported seeing two vehicles, one mid-size white car and a red Chevrolet pickup. Approximately 8 black males exited these two vehicles and put the motorcycle in the bed of the truck. They were last seen exiting Hwy 45 in Prichard.

Remember, these are crimes that have occurred within the past week or more, not just a day or two.

Thanks for all of your support for our Department and our officers.