OZARK, Ala. (WDNews) – Police in Ozark say a 19-year-old is behind a string of break-ins that hit three local businesses earlier this month.
On April 7, officers first responded to the Marathon Gas Station on East Roy Parker Road around 6:35 a.m. after reports of a shattered glass door. Soon after, they learned Woodham’s Steakhouse, just a few blocks away, had also been hit.
Both businesses confirmed that money was taken from their registers.
Later that night, an attempted burglary was reported at the Texaco station nearby. Officers say the suspect tried to break in by throwing a brick at the glass door but ran off before gaining entry.
The break came on April 10 when a Dale County Sheriff’s Deputy pulled over Dae’Shoine Latrell Coleman for a traffic violation. Coleman was arrested on a probation violation related to a prior burglary in 2024.
Investigators soon connected him to the latest break-ins, and police say he confessed to the crimes during an interview.
Coleman now faces five charges: two counts of Burglary 3rd Degree, two counts of Theft of Property 4th Degree and one count of Attempted Burglary 3rd Degree.
Officials say strong teamwork between the Ozark Police Department and the Dale County Sheriff’s Office played a key role in the case.
