Task force formed to fight car burglaries

SARALAND, Ala. (WALA) - Several law enforcement agencies are combining their efforts to find the people responsible for a rash of car burglaries on the Gulf Coast.

Some of the suspects are seen on surveillance.  One video also the suspects using a stolen credit card to fill up several cars with gas. Authorities said they believe the card was stolen during a recent car burglary in Satsuma. 

It's the same crime that's been happening throughout Mobile County.

Mobile County Sheriff's spokesperson Lori Myles said investigators believe all of the crimes are the work of one burglary ring.

"A lot of these similarities are leading detectives to believe that these are the same group of people," Myles said.

The thieves may have tried to make the burglaries appear random by targeting a  wide area throughout the county.

"That may be what they're thinking that doing it like that is going to throw law enforcement off.  But there are certain characteristics that we look at to show the similarities between the burglaries, and this is one of the things," she explained.

"They happen after 1am (between) 1 to 2 a.m. in the morning.  And immediately, the people go and charge on the credit cards that they get from the cars, and they take it to certain areas.  They take it to certain stores in Prichard and St. Stephens Rroad," she said.

Detectives from Saraland, Satsuma and the county met Monday at the Saraland Police Department to talk about the investigation.  The detective told FOX10 News the crimes extend outside Mobile County.

Police believe the ring may even be responsible for car burglaries in Baldwin County.

Sheriff's investigators have identified one person of interest as Roderick Jones. 

"He called the office and wanted us to take him off the television, and we said that we would once he came in and discussed what we wanted to discuss with him, so we haven't seen him yet.  And as soon as he comes in, we'll go from there," Myles said.

According to Myles, investigators are piecing together other names and information they hope will lead to an arrest soon.

"We've got Satsuma, Saraland, and us joining together. And we're going to catch whoever this is, and what we want to say is we know there's people out there that know who it is," she said.

If you have any information, call the Mobile County Sheriff's office at 574-8633.  You can also report the information anonymously on the sheriff's office website under crime tips.