Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office: Massive multi-state theft operation uncovered

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office posts on its Facebook page deputies have arrested two people and uncovered what it calls a massive multi-state theft operation.

Here is the post, which doesn’t identify the term “SOU,” but it is believed to stand for “Special Operations Unit.”

Recently, our SOU deputies pulled over a vehicle on I-10 in Loxley and uncovered a massive multi-state theft operation. The occupants, Anthony Baker Jr. and Derek West Jr. from the Atlanta area, were arrested on multiple burglary and theft warrants spanning Georgia, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Inside the vehicle, deputies found high-end construction equipment valued at over $20,000 and evidence suggesting the pair had been targeting vehicles across the Southeast. A regional BOLO connected them to burglaries in the Daphne area, and a joint investigation with Daphne PD led to multiple charges for Unlawful Breaking and Entering a Vehicle.

West was also linked to a July 2025 vehicle burglary in Paulding County, GA so charges will be filed in this case as well. Both suspects have extensive histories with organized theft, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is being consulted for potential federal prosecution.

Kudos to our Special Ops team for this investigation and keeping our communities safe!