Burglary case solved just a few hours after initial report

ARLEY  - A major emphasis by new Winston County Sheriff Horace Moore is to react quickly to calls and situations, which has led to solving a major theft case just a few hours after the theft was reported.
Arrested as a result of the investigation are Tracy Michelle Dunsford, 50, of 272 Kilgore Lane Jasper, and Heather Eve Martinez, 43, of 846 County Road 3949, Arley, both charged with first degree theft of property and third degree burglary, noted Sheriff’s Investigator Caleb Snoddy.
This entire theft case was wrapped up, start to finish, in less than 12 hours, Snoddy noted.
“I’m very pleased when a case can be solved quickly and efficiently,” Snoddy pointed out.
“Cooperation and teamwork between the municipalities and the sheriff’s office were impressive.
“Sheriff (Horace) Moore and Chief Deputy (Brett) Rodgers have been clear in their instructions that all burglaries, thefts and crimes against persons and property will be worked to the fullest,” Snoddy pointed out.
“These thefts are going to be one of my top priorities. You have to get on them quickly,” Moore pointed out. “This is what happened here, and by working together, we can accomplish great things.
“If you are going to take people’s property that doesn’t belong to you, that they worked hard to pay for, we are going to come after you,” Moore assured.
The sheriff’s office received a call around 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 15, that a residence under construction in the Arley area had been burglarized, with several thousand dollars worth of tools and construction equipment stolen, Snoddy said.
Snoddy, along with fellow investigator Jacob Eward and Sheriff’s Deputy B.J. Simmons responded to the scene.  An initial report was taken, and the area was scanned for fingerprints, footprints and other clues, Snoddy noted.
Eward found fingerprints with enough definition on a box of mints to be collected as evidence, sheriff’s investigators said.
After speaking with victims of the theft and assessing the scene by taking photographs and a sweep of the area - including neighbors’ houses - some of the stolen property was located at a nearby residence, Snoddy said.
Suspects had reportedly left two heaters at a nearby residence, Snoddy said.
Authorities began seeking the ones believed to be responsible, finding them at a residence near Highway 69 in the Jasper area of Walker County, where the remainder of the stolen items were found, Snoddy said.
These items included drill saws,a  paint sprayer and several battery packs, with the value of all of the stolen items estimated to be around $5,000, according to investigators.
Dunsford and Martinez were taken into custody and transported without incident to the Winston County Jail in Double Springs, authorities said.
It was believed that the women entered the main door of the house under construction and took the items, Snoddy said.
Moore thanked Simmons, Snoddy, Eward and Rodgers for a job well done.
Efforts are currently underway to get the stolen property back into the possession of the rightful owners, sheriff’s officials indicated.
“I believe it was six hours from the time we got the call to when we got the property back,” Simmons pointed out.
Simmons thanked the public for their assistance, which proved to be key in this case.
“I was patrolling, and I went to a shop and saw some items sitting out front,” Simmons recalled, noting he received one of the suspect’s names at that time by informants at the scene.
Simmons was informed that the suspects had left the items at the residence and were supposed to return the next day to pick up the items. 
Simmons learned that the residence where the items were stolen belonged to family members of the suspects.
Eward added he appreciated the community’s assistance in helping the sheriff’s office to solve cases.
“We did a good job working together as a team - municipalities, the sheriff’s office, everyone involved,” Eward stated.
“I am glad that we were able to return the property to the rightful owners. I am glad we were able to solve this quickly,” Eward added.
“It’s pretty unheard of to do it this quick,” he added. “...We look forward to the future.”
Snoddy also thanked Arley Police Chief Jerry Cummings for his assistance.
*When a defendant is charged with a crime, the charge is merely an accusation until or unless proven guilty in a court of law.