On Wednesday, the Andalusia Police Department obtain warrants for a suspect in a jewelry heist in the local Walmart who is currently being held in Georgia, only to find they are 15th in line behind other departments with warrants to serve against him.
Lt. Jody Scott, who is an investigator with the APD, said Alfred Demond Jenkins, 41, of Georgia, currently is being held in Floyd County, Georgia, where he is accused of felony shoplifting in a case similar to the one in Andalusia.
Scott began investigating Jenkins in May, when security footage showed that a suspect entered the local Walmart early one morning, picked up a T-shirt that he used to cover his hands, and used some kind of tool to open the jewelry case, which he proceeded to clean out.
The man, who was accompanied by a woman whose role is unclear, walked through the store and exited on the far end of the building.
When an employee noticed the jewelry was missing, the APD began investigating, including dusting for prints, which were not found. The APD reviewed security footage, but was not able to identify the suspect.
Meanwhile, Scott said, local Walmart officials presented the APD with an itemized list of the items that were stolen, and began talking with loss prevention employees across the Walmart network. They determined that several Alabama and Georgia Walmart locations had been hit, but they were not able to identify the suspects by name.
But after an August jewelry theft from the East Rome (Georgia) Walmart, law enforcement agents were able to identify Jenkins. In Georgia, he had gained access to the jewelry cabinet, hidden jewelry in a trash can, then later removed tags and concealed the jewelry before leaving the store, according to WRGA news.
In Floyd County, Ga., Jenkins was charged with felony shoplifting and criminal trespass for damaging the display case. Once investigators determined his identity, they were able to compare security footage to link him to other thefts across two states.
At least 15 other agencies are waiting to serve warrants on Jenkins, as well. Scott said that the APD has warrants against him for theft of property first. In total, he is currently wanted for the theft of more than $300,000 in goods.
Jenkins is 41, and his address is listed as Albany, Ga.
The Alabama Association of Realtors® this week included Andalusia in a published list of “10 small Alabama towns with great livability.”
The list is featured on the organization’s website and its social media pages.
“While cities make headlines, small towns more quietly go about the business of providing a sense of community, safety, and prosperity,” the article states. “These 10 were chosen based on safety, quality of life, cost of living, population, and schools.”
The article says of the city, “Andalusia doesn’t feel small when it comes to community life and activities. Among the city’s most popular annual events are Christmas in Candyland featuring snow and treats attracting visitors from across the region, and the World Championship Domino Tournament brings in competitors from across the country.
“Andalusia is home to Lurleen B. Wallace Community College and its own city school system. Cultural offerings include the notable Andalusia Ballet which features classical ballet performances including the annual Nutcracker. Nature lovers will enjoy the nearby Conecuh National Forest, Sepulga River, and Gantt Lake.”
Mayor Earl Johnson said, “We are honored to be included on this list of most livable communities. We work very hard with the Chamber of Commerce and other organizations to ensure we have a quality of life that draws people here.
“We know that Christmas in Candyland and JulyJamz are big events for us, and we are constantly looking for other events that improve the quality of life for local residents and could become annual draws for Andalusia,” the mayor said. “We believe our efforts with downtown redevelopment, and our constant quest to nurture local businesses and help build our retail trade area will help keep us ranked among the state’s most livable cities.”
Andalusia was one of only two cities in South Alabama included on the list. Neighboring Brewton, also is listed. Other Alabama cities on the list are Chelsea, Cullman, Guntersville, Hartselle, Jacksonville, Millbrook, Montevallo and Muscle Shoals.
The Andalusia City Council on Tuesday broke ground for the new Heritage Park in the former rail yard on South Cotton Street.
“We’ve waited a long time for this to happen, but today, after a couple of years of planning, we are breaking ground on our new Heritage Park,” Mayor Earl Johnson said.
“The idea for this park came from our planning partners at Concordia in New Orleans,” he said. “The park concept was designed after we received input from local residents in two town hall meetings.
“Since then, we have put the financing in place, worked with ADEM, the Corp of Engineers, and the Alabama Historical Commission on the proper permitting, and with CDG, Inc., a local engineering firm, for the final designs.”
The new park will include a 1.4 acre pond, a quarter-mile, 8-foot wide concrete walking path, an exterior, 12-foot-wide, multi-purpose asphalt trail, an amphitheater that will seat about 300 people, and green spaces. The city also plans to add a carousel, gazebo, and pavilion in later phases of this development.
“In the coming days, you’ll see city crews moving dirt and putting the pipe in place to build the water feature,” the mayor said. “We are very excited about this project, and believe it will help us as we continue to redevelop our historic downtown.”
Later this month, Lost Pizza will open in the Prestwood Building on the historic Court Square, and the city also is preparing to announce another major redevelopment project in the downtown area.
The Covington Veterans Foundation will sell veterans tribute banners from Sept. 18 through Sept. 28th this year.
This will mark the fifth year that the Covington Veterans Foundation (CVF), in partnership with the City of Andalusia, will display the tribute banners to mark the Veterans Day holiday. Additional banners have been sold each year, and in 2022, the city displayed 505 banners in the downtown area.
The banners, which are $100 each, include photographs and information about veterans with ties to Covington County. Once a banner is purchased, it is displayed annually for Veterans Day.
Banners can be purchased on the third floor of City Hall. To purchase a banner, sponsors will need to bring a photograph of the veteran, preferably in uniform, and complete a basic form with information about the individual’s service. Forms are available by clicking here.
For additional information, call Michele Gerlach at 334.428.1143 or email her at .
Other Veterans Day events for 2023 include:
• Celebration of Heroes, a musical program planned for 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5, in the Andalusia High School auditorium. This year’s event will focus on the contributions of local veterans in the Korean Conflict.
• A reception will follow Celebration of Heroes in the Andalusia City Hall, where CVF will have a display about the Korean Conflict.
• Veterans Day Parade, coordinated by the Andalusia Area of Chamber of Commerce, is set for 10 a.m. on Sat., Nov. 11.
• A program coordinated by the City of Andalusia will immediately follow the parade at the Covington Veterans Monument behind the Andalusia City Hall. Andalusia native Tom Floyd, who was an Air Force pilot, will be the guest speaker.
All events are free.
Voters in Andalusia’s District 5 returned Dr. David McCalman to a fourth term on the Andalusia City Board of Education on Tuesday.
McCalman defeated challenger Shawn Geohagan, 144 to 6.
The District 5 race was the only one on the ballot, as Sammy Glover was unopposed in his bid for re-election in District 1.
In District 3, incumbent David Bryant chose not to seek reelection. John Wells was the only candidate who qualified for the office.
School board members run in staggered years. Incumbents in District 2 and 4 will be up for election in two years.