FCSO cracks two theft cases

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office made quick work Oct. 16 of two separate incidents of auto theft that occurred over the weekend.

“We were notified around lunch time on Monday, and by 3 a.m. Tuesday we had all of the suspects in custody,” one investigator said.

Six total arrests were made: five regarding three work trucks that were stolen from Page Clearing Inc. in Red Bay and one allegedly involved in a vehicle theft in Vina, according to investigators.

The suspects in custody for the theft of the three work trucks are Hailie Mettille, Robert Rivera, Jonathon Smith, Grady Joseph Walker and Timothy Underwood.

“We’re still looking for one of the vehicles that was stolen – a 2011 four-door Chevrolet 2500 pickup truck, red in color,” an investigator added.

FCSO investigators said Mettille was found when the sheriff in Itawamba, Miss., located one of the vehicles. They discovered Rivera was hiding out in Pontotoc, Miss., but investigators said the suspect willingly came back to Alabama when he was contacted. Smith was found in an apartment complex; he also confessed to a burglary that took place in Hodges Oct. 11. Underwood was located in Hamilton when the stolen vehicle was identified.

Walker and Underwood are both being held in Marion County. The others are at the Franklin County Jail.

Investigators took William Lee Bishop into custody for the theft of a Dodge Dakota pickup truck. FCSO investigators said they found him on County Road 23 in Vina.

“We worked all day as hard as we could to get these cases settled,” an investigator said.