Mother, daughter charged in burglaries

PHIL CAMPBELL – Thanks to a joint effort between the community and different law enforcement agencies, a mother and daughter were arrested in connection with multiple burglaries that happened over the last several weeks.
Judith Carol Sutherland, 48, 325 Highway 166, Phil Campbell; and Ashley Nicole Sutherland, 26, 131 Scout Hollow Rd., Apt. B, Phil Campbell, were both arrested for first-degree theft of property and third-degree burglary.
According to Phil Campbell Police Chief Merrell Potter, the PCPD received a report Wednesday afternoon that a residence on Pike Avenue had been burglarized earlier that morning.
Potter said eyewitnesses came forward with information about a white Honda Accord that was seen at the residence during the time period when the house was believed to have been burglarized.
Potter said police were able to use surveillance video at a nearby business to spot the car in question and obtain vehicle owner information, which led them to Ashley Sutherland’s address on Scout Hollow Road.
Officials said they recovered stolen property from other burglaries in the Phil Campbell and Bear Creek areas, and at this time, the women have been linked to at least 10 breaking and entering cases.
The Phil Campbell Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation were all involved in this case.
“There were several different cases we were looking into and each agency had information pertaining to one of the cases so we teamed up to put the information together and make these arrests,” Potter said.
“This is something that has been going on in the area for a few weeks now, and I’m glad we caught a break in the case and were able to make these arrests and put a stop to this crime spree so hopefully our citizens feel a little bit safer.
“It just goes to show what can be accomplished when we have the cooperation of eyewitnesses in the community and several different agencies working together.”
Potter said the cases span from Phil Campbell and Bear Creek to possibly Haleyville and Mississippi.
“This case is still under investigation and more charges could be pending as more information in uncovered.”