Two recent Jemison burglaries, and subsequent arrests, should show businesses the importance of an up-to-date video surveillance system, city Police Chief Shane Fulmer said.

The press box at City Park was broken into on April 25, and a vehicle was broken into at a convenience store near Interstate 65 Exit 219 on April 28. Because video footage was available to investigators, arrests were made within five days of the crimes in both instances.

“The video in both of these cases allowed us to track down these individuals,” Fulmer said. “Many businesses don’t have video at all, and some have systems that are out of date.

“I can’t stress enough the importance of these systems.”

Jose Rodriguez, 24, and Joshua Crumpton, 21, both of Montevallo, were arrested on April 30 and charged with felony burglary and criminal mischief.

The pair allegedly broke into the park press box and damaged a metal box—which turned out to be part of the park’s surveillance system.

Officers were still able to recover the footage.

“We’ve been having some problems at the park, but the officers have been doing a great job keeping that in check, making extra patrols,” Fulmer said.

Brandon Blankenship, 26, of Jemison was arrested on April 29, one day after he allegedly entered a woman’s unlocked vehicle at a fuel station and took her purse while she was inside the store.

Blankenship was charged with breaking and entering a vehicle and second-degree theft of property, both of which are felonies.