Cops capture computer crooks
Published 1:27 am Tuesday, November 18, 2008
A carefully orchestrated theft netted two Opp men a brand new computer Thursday, but detailed video footage allowed Andalusia and Opp investigators to quickly apprehend the tech savvy thieves.
James David Holloway, 32, and an unidentified juvenile suspect, both of Opp, visited Andalusia’s Wal-Mart Supercenter Thursday and walked away with a Dell XPS computer system valued at $998, APD Investigator Barney Tyree said.
“The two had removed the security band prior to making their way to the front entrance,” Tyree said. “The juvenile suspect distracted one of the Wal-Mart clerks located at the entrance and Holloway pushed the computer out the door.”
Video footage later revealed the two left the parking lot in a maroon Chevrolet pickup with a utility trailer hooked to the back. Tyree said the footage was shown to an individual who revealed the same truck had been seen transporting scrap metal in Andalusia just prior to the theft Thursday.
“I began checking with all of the scrap yards in the area to determine who had sold scrap metal on the day in question,” Tyree said. “I found a drivers license, which all yards are required to photo copy anytime scrap metal is sold, that I immediately identified as the juvenile suspect involved in the theft.”
Holloway and his juvenile accomplice were quickly located with the help of investigators from the Opp Police Department, according to Tyree, and placed into the Covington County jail Friday.
Both suspects were charged with second-degree theft of property, a class C felony, and held on a $50,000 bond.
“Everyone should be aware that Wal-Mart has over 300 cameras placed throughout the store and in the parking lot,” Tyree said. “If you come there to steal merchandise, then you will be on video and you will be caught.”