By Gary Lloyd
BIRMINGHAM — Just before noon Wednesday deputies responded to a report of a burglary in progress in the 20 block of Dogwood Lane in Center Point.
They arrived to find the victim standing over a suspect in his back yard.
The male victim reported that he had been asleep in his home with his infant child when he was awakened by a noise. He got up and discovered a black male in his kitchen attempting to leave with his television. The suspect dropped the television and attempted to flee. The victim chased him and caught him in the back yard. The suspect fought with the victim, but was unable to get away. No one was injured.
The suspect was identified as 21-year-old Deontre Johnson of Birmingham.
He was arrested and charged with second-degree burglary and second-degree theft of property.
The victim reported that there had been two other suspects in his yard that fled.
During the search for these suspects deputies received a report about a suspicious black male walking in Stratford Square Apartments carrying a television. Deputies located the man hiding behind a retaining wall.
A foot chase ensued and deputies briefly lost sight of the suspect. Responding deputies searched the area and located the suspect hiding in the restroom of a laundromat in the 2400 block of Center Point Parkway. The suspects were arrested without incident.
They admitted to burglarizing an apartment in the 2400 block of First Place Northwest and offered to take deputies to the location where they had hidden the stolen items. Deputies recovered a television and two gaming consoles. The items were returned to the victim.
The suspects were identified as 20-year-old Carlos Mines and 18-year-old Roderick Mitchell, both of Birmingham. Both were charged with third-degree burglary and second-degree theft of property. They remain in the Jefferson County Jail with bonds totaling $10,000 each.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.