Another robbery, another arrest warrant for Verbena teen

Published 10:26 pm Tuesday, September 22, 2009

A convenience store near the intersection of Interstate 65 and Highway 31 was robbed Tuesday night, and the suspect is a familiar one for Clanton police.

Authorities have signed an arrest warrant for and are looking for Timothy Jake Wells Jr., according to Police Chief Brian Stilwell. The 19-year-old from Verbena has already been charged with a rash of break-ins and robberies this summer.

Wells was out of bond from his alleged previous offenses, including burglarizing Action Motor Sports in Clanton on July 4, robbing the Sunny Shell Food Station near Interstate 65 on July 14, and holding up Ye Old General Store in Verbena on Sept. 1.

The B.P. Station near McDonalds was robbed around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, when a man entered the store with a handgun. The suspect made off with the entire cash register, Stilwell said. No one was injured.

The department is searching for Wells and are looking for a white Chevy pick-up truck.

As of his last arrest Sept. 1, Wells faced six counts of burglary third degree, three counts of burglary for residential break-ins, three counts of burglary involving other local businesses (Lake Mitchell Mini-Mart, Stuckey’s and Enterprise Grocery), three counts theft of property second degree, one county theft of property first degree and two counts theft of property third degree.

Stilwell said his department can’t control when bond is set or for how much. He said his department’s main goal now is to get Wells off the streets.

“We really want to get him of the street before somebody gets hurt. We don’t want him to hurt himself, a store clerk or a police officer,” Stilwell said.

The Chilton County Sheriff’s Office is assisting with the case, Stilwell said.