Duo swiped beer in front of off-duty officer, police say

An off-duty police investigator caught two people stealing beer from the back of a delivery truck Thursday afternoon, Decatur police said.

Lt. Frank DeButy, a police spokesman, said the investigator was driving his personal vehicle through the area of West Moulton Street and 12th Avenue at about 2:30 p.m. because of recent complaints from citizens about crime in the area.

The officer noticed a man grabbing beer from a beer delivery truck parked at the Speed-Z gas station and throwing it into a waiting vehicle driven by a woman, DeButy said.

DeButy said the officer followed the vehicle but lost it when its driver began to disregard traffic lights and signs. He took down the tag number and later succeeded in tracking down and identifying two suspects.

Police arrested Shauntrae Marie Burmeister, 22, believed to be the driver, and Darrius Cordell Hampton, 20, believed to be the man who took the beer. Both were charged with breaking and entering a vehicle, DeButy said.

Burmeister and Hampton, both of 711 Second St. S.W., were taken to Morgan County Jail and held in lieu of $750 bond.

Seth Burkett

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