Police bust truck stop theft ring targeting sleeping drivers

Birmingham, Alabama, police say that they have arrested three people in connection with a series of truck stop thefts.

Police say that they began investigating the suspected truck stop theft ring after noticing an uptick in thefts at the Citgo and Pilot truck stops located on Bankhead Highway in Birmingham, according to AL.com.

Investigators say that many of the thefts involved breaking into the trailers of semi trucks while the drivers were sleeping.

After launching an investigation into the thefts and examining surveillance video, police were able to identify Erick Taylor, 40, and Quinton Babbs, 42. Both men were arrested. Taylor faces a charge of unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle. Babbs was charged with receiving stolen property.

During the course of the investigation, police discovered that the items stolen from the trailers was being transported to a residence about a mile away from the truck stop, where they were reportedly exchanged for drugs.

Police obtained a search warrant for the residence and found items stolen from the truck stop in addition to thousands of dollars worth of cash. Suspected stolen items discovered at the home included meat, laundry detergent, boxes of macaroni and cheese, and large bags of sugar.

Fifty-one year old Patricia Brown was arrested in connection with the results of the search. Brown was charged with receiving stolen property in addition to drug related charges.