More charges added in burglary, theft case

Published 12:00 am Friday, September 20, 2013

Police have added another charge in the case of the Andalusia man arrested last week on 27 burglary and theft charges.

Terry Lee German, 40, was charged with 11 counts of 3rd degree burglary; one count of breaking and entering a motor vehicle; six counts of first degree theft of property; five counts of second degree theft of property; and four counts of third degree theft of property.

Thursday, the Andalusia Police Department added one more to that list – a receiving stolen property II charge, said Lt. Paul Dean.

“Sgt. Jody Scott was contacted by a person in Barbour County, close to Eufaula, who had received property from Mr. German,” Dean said, describing a set of car rims, a Fred Bear compound bow and a Skill battery operated tool set. “Mr. German had wanted this person to put the items on a buy, sell, trade website for him.

“This acquaintance then found out Mr. German had been arrested and what he’d been arrested for and sought out information on it,” Dean said. “When they read the information about the press conference (the APD) had, they contacted police.”

Dean said the items matched reports of missing items filed in the spring, and Scott was able to meet the good citizen informant in Dothan to recover the items, all of which have now been returned to the owners.

“The owners of about 95 percent of the property we’ve recovered have gotten their property back,” Dean said of the property found at German’s Camellia Avenue home. That property has helped the APD solve at least 19 burglaries, Dean said.

“Because of the sheer volume of items we recovered, we had to return the items to their rightful owners prior to going to trial in the case,” Dean said.

Most of the property crimes occurred on Camellia, Lakeview, Sanford Road, Thames Street, Adams Avenue, Lakeland Drive, First Avenue, Second Avenue, South Cotton, and Easley Drive.

Police also have determined that German did not act alone, but have yet to publicly identify the accomplice, who has also not yet been charged.

German is currently being held in the Covington County Jail under a $352,000 bond.