Off Duty Police Officer Has Keen Eyes

Alabama Mobile Mobile Police say he helped solve eight commercial armed robberies.

by Steve Alexander

Published: Wed, October 14, 2009 - 7:41 pm CST Last Updated: Wed, October 14, 2009 - 7:57 pm CST

MOBILE, Alabama - Mobile Police believe they have solved eight commercial armed robberies with the arrests of five teenagers Tuesday night.
The teens in custody are Jarvis McClendon, Silas Jackson, David Glover, Karl Martin and Daniel Norwood.
But police said 16 year old Martin and 17 year old Jackson were responsible for at least six other robberies in Mobile in a period of about two weeks.
Police said it started when five people with handguns robbed a Dominos Pizza on Highway 90 about 10:30 Tuesday night.
They said five minutes later, there was another robbery about seven miles away at the Steak n Shake on Government.
But this time, someone was watching.
Corporal Charles Bagsby with the Mobile Police Department said, "An off duty officer was patrolling and riding down Government Street and saw a robbery in progress."
Mark Gratkowski owns the Steak n Shake where the robbery happened.
He said, "The assailants came in, demanded the money, showed their weapons, and we gave them the money and let them out, let them leave. The off duty police officer came in right afterwards and wanted to know where they were. We told him they just left out the back door."
Police said they were able to arrest five teenagers in all, charging them with the Steak and Shake robbery, the Dominos robbery and, according to Bagsby, "Our robbery investigators came out and were able to link these individuals to a number of other robberies."
Police said two of the five, Karl Martin and Silas Jackson, were charged in six other robberies.
They say they happened October 3 at a Movie Gallery and Subway on Moffett Road, October 6th, when a delivery driver at Hungry Howie's on Airport was robbed, October 11 at Papa Johns on Cottage Hill, and October 12 at the Baymont Inn Motel in Tillman's Corner and a Dairy Queen on Moffett.
But the end came thanks to the keen eyes of an off duty police officer.
Gratkowski said, "The off duty officer really did a fabulous job for us. We're grateful."
Police said they're investigating whether the five were involved in other robberies.
If you have information, call Crimestoppers at 208-7000.

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rmseek1234 Says:

Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 1:29 pm

Isn’t everything in life “reactionary?” A doctor isn’t going to give you an antibiotic, until you have an infection. Reaction. The bank is going to give you money,unless you have some in your account,or meet the requirements for a loan. Reaction.

freedomtofascismcom Says:

Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 1:21 pm

Timing is everything, well done! As a former cop, one rarely if ever gets to catch someone in the act of. One never catches someone their first time. Being a reactionary force is the reason, and the reason one must take responsibility to protect oneself and one’s property, not rely on the calvary, which, often due to circumstance beyond their control ends up shooting just behind the rabbit. Self protection and self service no assistance necessary.

rmseek1234 Says:

Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 12:39 pm

Try looking at the actual numbers,and not limited media reports as to the “good police work,” that goes on every day. Easily accessible through the MCSO website and docket data…Far more people are arrested than you could EVER imagine,if you are basing your opinion on what the media reports.

InTime Says:

Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 7:36 am

good police work! unfortunately we need more of it. i wonder if we could get an accounting of how much money our society has spent in raising these defendants?

rmseek1234 Says:

Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 6:07 am

A cop is never “off-duty”.....Protect and serve 24/7. Good job officer and MPD!

dbrinkm Says:

Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 5:59 am

Corp. Bagsby was not the off duty officer, I understand why they withhold their names. But Thank you to him or her for being a FULL time cop.

Monkeys Uncle Says:

Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 3:25 am

Some of these perps were repeat offenders. They need to do more than slap wrists this time. Great job Officer Bagsby!

dbrinkm Says:

Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 8:23 pm

awesome job officer bagsby. somebody buy him lunch. several of those robberies were near my house, more needs to be done to stop these theives, but this was a good start. thank you again.