Former employee accused of theft

FLORENCE — Police arrested a former Dixie Heat Treating Co. employee Monday after he was accused of stealing metal from the business and selling it, police said.

Timothy Joseph Oliger, 27, 460 Lauderdale 205, Florence, who also uses the name of Joseph Wayne Wilson, is charged with first-degree theft of property and third-degree burglary, police said.

Oliger was arrested Monday morning after trying to sell stolen metal at Roberson Scrap Metal on Canal Street, Florence police detective Justin Wright said. Wright said company officials notified area scrap yards after discovering the metal was missing.

"Roberson called Monday morning and reported someone was there selling this metal," Wright said. "Officers got there and made the arrest."

He said he is accused of taking $24,000 in metal from Dixie Heat Treating Co.

"Oliger worked there about a week or so," Wright said. "During that time and even after he left, he was taking boxes of this very, specialized metal and then selling it at scrap yards. We have been able to recover some of the stolen metal."

He is out on bail of $6,500.

Mother, daughter charged in break-in

RUSSELLVILLE — A Franklin County woman and her daughter have been charged in connection with a residential burglary and are suspects is as many as eight others in Marion and Franklin counties, officials said.

Judith Carol Sutherland, 48, 325 Franklin 166, Phil Campbell, and her daughter, Ashley Nicole Sutherland, 26, 131 Scout Hollow Road, Phil Campbell, are charged with first-degree theft of property and third-degree burglary, Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver said Monday.

He said they are accused of breaking into a residence on Pike Avenue in Phil Campbell earlier this month. Investigators said a car matching the description of one driven by Ashley Sutherland was seen leaving the residence, which assisted in the arrests.

Oliver said investigators went to Ashley Sutherland's residence and found several pieces of jewelry that may be linked other recent residential burglaries in Phil Campbell, Bear Creek and Franklin County.

Oliver said the two women are being held in the Franklin County Jail.