Fairhope Burglary During Hurricane Isaias: Man Charged in Dollar General Break-In on Twin Beech Road

FAIRHOPE, Ala. — While most Baldwin County residents were sheltering at home as Hurricane Isaias closed in, Fairhope police say one man used the storm as cover to break into a local store. Police have charged Matthew Richardson with first-degree burglary in a Fairhope burglary at the Dollar General store on Twin Beech Road.

What police say happened

Fairhope police were called to the Dollar General on Twin Beech Road during the storm. Officers found damage to the store, and police said about $60 worth of merchandise had been taken.

According to police, the items taken were two cases of beer, one case of soda and a travel mug.

Richardson was arrested and charged with first-degree burglary. He is being held at the Baldwin County Corrections Center.

Police did not release Richardson’s age or hometown, the specific time of the break-in or details about how the store was entered. Information about bond and a court date was not immediately available.

A criminal charge is an accusation, not a finding of guilt. Richardson is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court.

A serious felony charge

First-degree burglary is a Class A felony under Alabama law, the most serious category of felony in the state. A Class A felony conviction carries a possible sentence of 10 to 99 years or life in prison, though actual sentences depend on the facts of the case, a defendant’s criminal history and the outcome of the court process.

Alabama’s burglary statutes are tiered. In general, burglary involves knowingly entering or remaining unlawfully in a building with the intent to commit a crime inside. The degree of the charge depends on additional circumstances defined in state law, such as the type of building and whether the suspect was armed or anyone was injured or threatened. Police did not say which circumstances led to the first-degree charge in this case, and the value of the property taken does not by itself determine the degree of a burglary charge.

Felony cases in Baldwin County typically move from an initial appearance before a judge, where bond conditions are reviewed, to a preliminary hearing in district court and then to a Baldwin County grand jury, which decides whether to return an indictment. Cases that are indicted proceed in Baldwin County Circuit Court.

Storm nights and property crime

Isaias made landfall near Destin, Fla., at about 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, as a Category 2 hurricane, and its winds raked Baldwin County through Friday evening and into Saturday. Many businesses had closed early or not opened at all, roads were littered with fallen limbs, and law enforcement agencies across the region asked residents to stay off the streets so first responders and utility crews could work.

Baldwin County sat on the storm’s west side, where gusty winds brought down trees and power lines across the Eastern Shore and south Baldwin. In Fairhope and nearby Point Clear, known for their towering live oaks along Mobile Bay, fallen limbs blocked roads through the night, and residents and volunteers worked by flashlight and headlights to clear some of them. At the peak, more than 300,000 Alabama utility customers lost power.

Those conditions stretch police thin. During a hurricane, officers are often responding to downed trees and lines, traffic hazards and welfare checks, and dark, closed storefronts can make for tempting targets.

Curfews were in effect in several South Alabama communities during and immediately after the storm, including overnight curfews in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and in Prichard, as officials sought to keep people safe and deter looting while homes and businesses sat empty or without power.

Police agencies across the Gulf Coast routinely warn that closed businesses and evacuated homes can become targets during and after hurricanes, and they increase patrols in areas left vulnerable by storm damage or power outages.

Protecting homes and businesses after a storm

Law enforcement and insurance experts generally recommend several steps for property owners as cleanup continues:

• Secure damaged doors and windows with plywood or other temporary coverings as soon as it is safe.
• Remove valuables from homes and businesses that cannot be secured or are without power.
• Photograph damage and inventory property, which helps both insurance claims and police reports if anything goes missing.
• Get to know who is in your neighborhood. Ask contractors and workers for identification, and be cautious of anyone going door to door offering to “help” without being asked.
• Report suspicious activity to police right away rather than confronting anyone.

Where the case goes from here

Richardson remains in custody at the Baldwin County Corrections Center in Bay Minette, the county’s main jail. Court records will show future hearing dates as the case moves forward. Additional charges are possible if investigators develop more information, and charges can also be reduced or dismissed as a case proceeds.

How to reach Fairhope police

Anyone with information about suspicious activity in Fairhope can contact the Fairhope Police Department. In an emergency, or to report a crime in progress, call 911.