NESHBA COUNTY, Ala. — An Alabama man, Charles Hopper, 46, of Gardendale, has been arrested and charged with grand larceny after allegedly stealing a commercial trailer from Tom’s Fireworks at the intersection of Highway 15 and Highway 16.
The trailer was reported missing on Oct. 20, a day after it was taken around 5:50 a.m. Investigators used surveillance footage from local businesses, casino security, and Flock License Plate Reader cameras to track the vehicle, which had been traveling through Philadelphia and leaving the county.
Authorities discovered that the license plate on Hopper’s truck had been swapped. Working with Gardendale Police, Pearl River Resort Security, and Choctaw Police, deputies located Hopper and the stolen trailer in Gardendale on Oct. 30. Hopper admitted to taking the trailer but initially withheld its location.
After several days, he disclosed the trailer’s location, and it was successfully recovered in Fultondale. On Nov. 4, the trailer was returned to its rightful owner.
Neshoba County Sheriff Eric Clark praised the cooperation of multiple agencies in recovering the stolen property and bringing Hopper into custody.
