Burglary victims catch suspects, hold them for authorities
Posted: Dec 15, 2014 7:35 AM EST
Updated: Dec 15, 2014 4:38 PM EST
By John Huddleston
WARRIOR, AL (WBRC) -
The victims of a home break-in near Warrior caught the alleged intruders on Sunday afternoon and held them at gunpoint until authorities could arrive.
Family is overwhelmed by support after they held burglary suspects for authorities
Homeowner Chris Wyatt and his relatives spoke to FOX6 News a day after catching and holding at gunpoint the people they believe burglarized the Wyatt's and a neighbor's home.
"I'm here to protect my family. And as a man that's what you do. And we caught them," said Wyatt.
A home surveillance system captured video of the suspects breaking into the Wyatt family home on Gobbler Knob Road on Friday afternoon.
The surveillance video shows a woman knocking on the family's home.
When no one answered, a male accomplice kicked the door open. The woman and two men helped themselves to two TVs and several of the family's Christmas presents, including gifts for their 1-year old-son.
The three suspects then drove away in a black Ford Ranger pickup truck.
Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies responded to the Wyatts' home around 9:30 p.m. Friday to investigate the burglary.
Two days later, around 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14, deputies investigated a second burglary, this one in the 1600 block of New Bethel School Road.
The victim said someone forced open the door to his home and stole a computer monitor, trumpet, knife collection and jewelry, according to Chief Deputy Randy Christian.
While deputies were still on the scene investigating the second burglary, the Wyatts called the sheriff's office to say they had found the suspects who broke into their home and were holding them at gunpoint.
Sarah Wyatt said that by chance, her husband Chris and other relatives recognized the suspects and apprehended them on Sunday afternoon.
"They happened to drive by and we seen them drive by and we knew it was them and we stopped them,” Chris Wyatt said.
The sheriff's office says Wyatt followed the suspects' vehicle as they turned down Gobbler's Knob Mine Road and blocked them in. He and his friends then held them at gunpoint until deputies could get to the scene, Christian said.
Chris Wyatt said the suspects claimed they were lost when the Wyatts confronted them.
"They tried to say that they were lost and we corrected them where they were,” Chris Wyatt said.
Deputies arrived a short time later and took a man and two women into custody. They also found some of the stolen items from the home on New Bethel School Road inside the suspects' truck.
The burglary victim identified his belongings and they were returned to him.
Deputies arrested Eric Paul Stillwell, 38, of Quinton, 29-year-old Natosha Derrick of Jasper and 28-year-old Elizabeth Frost of Burnwell.
They have each been charged with third degree burglary and second degree theft of property for the New Bethel School Road burglary, and authorities say they expect to charge the suspects in the first burglary as well.
The suspects are being held on a $25,000 bond each in the Jefferson County Jail.
The Wyatts are still hopeful they'll get back the things that were stolen.
"Sure hope so, if they don't at least we're all safe and in one piece and they are off the street for now,” Sarah Wyatt said.
If these people are the ones responsible for the break-ins, the Wyatts want everyone to remember there is still another person out there, since two men were shown in the surveillance video but only one was taken into custody.
The family is asking everyone to keep a watchful eye and call the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office if you have any information about the case.
http://www.myfoxal.com/story/27628185/burglary-victims-catch-suspects-hold-them-for-authorities
