New charges for theft ring suspect

MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. (WALA) - A suspect in a large theft ring is back behind bars facing new charges. Police said jet skis, boat motors, tractors and other high end items were recovered after Gary Jackowski, Keith Colby Stockman and Steven Young were arrested.

Lieutenant Alex Smith with the Alabama Marine Police said, "There's an indication they sold some of the property on Craig’s list."

Police said Jackowski recently received more theft charges for crimes committed in Satsuma. Police said the suspect would navigate Gunnison and Steel Creeks at night and steal from boats and boat houses backed up to the waters.

"You had batteries, GPS units, AM/FM radios, fishing gear, extra props," Smith added. "Anything to do with a boat was a theft target. We got a tip from an alert citizen who is also a victim of one of the thefts. He did his own investigation and located the suspect’s boat in the area, and we were able to trace it through registration to Steve Young in Saraland."

Smith said Steve Young owns Young's Towing, and Stockman and Jackowski worked for him. Smith said it's one of the biggest theft rings he's ever investigated.

“It’s probably the second largest waterborne, water related theft ring I’m aware of in the last 20 years," he said. "This ring here, over a 6 to 8 month period, they probably stole about $200,000 worth of property."

Smith said the suspects were involved in thefts from six different jurisdictions.

"There was a theft from Saraland High School, an ATV ... The tractor behind us in Spanish Fort was stolen, and there are some other items from people that rent storage space down here at the park."

Police said a number of cases have been solved, including 46 theft cases near the Rabbit Creek and Dog River area. For a theft operation yielding all of that merchandise, police said more arrests will follow.

Police said there are several more people involved, and they are looking at developing warrants.