By Christopher Edmunds

The Selma Times-Journal

A Selma man was arrested with pockets full of beer early Thursday morning.

According a news release from the Selma Police Department, officers apprehended Thomas Turner, 44, several blocks away from a business on the 500 block of Old Cahaba Road, where three cases of Budweiser beer were stolen around 4 a.m.

When officers responded to a burglary alarm activation, they found the glass front door of the business broken. Security camera footage showed a man throwing a rock through the door, then the suspect entered the business and took three cases of Budweiser beer.

After searching the area for a suspect matching the physical and clothing description of the offender in the video, police spotted Turner on McDuffie Avenue and Oak Street, just a couple blocks away from the crime scene.

Lt. Curtis Muhannad with SPD said the suspect was easy to spot because of his clothing.

“He was easy to find because he was wearing camo pants, camo hat, but a bright yellow shirt,” Muhannad said.

According to the release, Turner tried to flee on foot, but the pursuit did not last long.

“He attempted to flee on foot, but because he was intoxicated, it was a short pursuit,” Muhannad said.

Once he was apprehended, officers recovered several unopened cans of Budweiser beer in his pockets, and a case of beer was in the area where he was first spotted by the officers, according to the release.

Thomas was detained then transported to the Selma Police Department. After an interview with detectives, Turner was arrested on probable cause for third-degree burglary and public intoxication.

Turner is currently being held in the Dallas County Jail with a $15,500 bond.