2 men charged with car break-ins on Alabama campus
Two men were apprehended by police for allegedly breaking into several parked vehicles on the morning of Jan. 7 near a University of South Alabama residence hall in Mobile. Both men are facing various charges for the alleged incident.
According to sources, university police officers responded to a call regarding a vehicle break-in near the Delta Residence Hall. Police took two men into custody and charged both with breaking into four parked vehicles and resisting arrest. Campus officials stated that the two men, a 21-year-old and another who had not yet been identified, were not enrolled as students at the university. The 21-year-old man was also charged with a single count of receiving stolen property. One of the men also reportedly injured his hand while allegedly breaking into one of the parked vehicles, according to investigators.
University officials claimed the alleged break-ins occurred several days before the start of classes and that the vast majority of students were not yet on campus. Both men were scheduled to be transported to the Mobile County Metro Jail for further processing.
A criminal conviction for burglary may carry stiff penalties and long-term consequences in the state of Alabama. However, a criminal charge is ultimately just a set of one or more allegations against a person that must be proven by prosecutors in a criminal trial. Every individual facing criminal charges is entitled to have a criminal defense attorney represent him or her during trial. An attorney may be able to challenge the evidence presented by prosecutors or arrange for reduced penalties through a plea negotiation.
Source: AL.com, “University of South Alabama police arrest 2 suspects in series of car burglaries,” Theresa Seiger, Jan 7, 2015