Woman allegedly stages

The Cullman Times

May 08, 2008 09:07 pm

— By Patrick McCreless
PATRICKM@CULLMANTIMES.COM
A Cullman County grand jury recently indicted a local woman after she allegedly staged a robbery to cover up her theft at a Hanceville business.
Randi Adell Dees, 20, of Cullman was arrested and charged with theft of property in the second degree and falsifying a police report. Also indicted and arrested in connection with the incident were James Presston Eddy, 20, of Hanceville and Ethan Irwin Lithgow, 19, of Hayden. Both were charged with second degree theft.
Hanceville Police reports indicate the incident allegedly took place Jan. 26 at Brett’s Texaco service station, where Dees worked as a cashier.
“It was originally reported as robbery with a gun,” said Lt. Jimmy Rodgers of the Hanceville Police Department. “Shortly after the investigation started, however, we noticed conflicting stories in the cashier’s statements.”
Dees stated a man wearing a hoodie and holding a gun came into the business and tried to break into the cash register. She stated she confronted the man, who then proceeded to push her down before running out of the service station.
The robber allegedly took money from the register and several cartons of cigarettes.
Along with Dees’ conflicting statements, Rodgers said officers’ suspicions were aroused by the condition of the crime scene.
“At the scene they observed that there didn’t seem to be a disturbance,” Rodgers said.
During the investigation, officers interviewed Presston, who Dees stated had picked her up the night of the incident.
“At first he denied knowing anything about it,” Rodgers said.
However, Rodgers said Presston signed a written confession three days later that he, Dees and Lithgow had stolen items from the business.
At the time of the incident, video surveillance equipment at the business was not functioning. However, several witnesses soon came forward and stated they saw Lithgow’s vehicle parked outside the service station the night of the crime.
“Witnesses were a key factor in it,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers said the three suspects were only recently arrested because investigators needed more information besides a written confession to make their case.
“We had to look at all the facts, so we waited and presented it to the grand jury,” Rodgers said.
None of the stolen items have been recovered.
According to information from the Cullman County Clerk’s office, defense attorneys have not been assigned to the suspects and their trial dates have not been set.
Dees was released from the Cullman County Detention Center on a $6,000 bond. Eddy and Lithgow were also released on $5,000 bonds.
Theft of property in the second degree is a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.