Ashford man faces multiple burglary charges

An Ashford man faces multiple felony charges after authorities arrested him in connection to a series of storage unit burglaries across the tri-state area.

Houston County Sheriff’s Capt. Antonio Gonzalez said Stephen Hugh Chitwood, 50, faces felony burglary charges from three area law enforcement agencies. Gonzalez said the charges came after investigators followed up on a reported storage unit burglary in Daleville and searched Chitwood’s home in Ashford on Tuesday.

“There’s so much stuff he can’t recall where it all came from,” Gonzalez said. “He was going to these storage units and picking the locks, and then re-securing the locks.”

A statement prepared by Gonzalez said investigators recovered a large amount of reportedly stolen property from Chitwood’s home, along with property that had not yet been reported stolen. The statement said the property had been linked to residents in both Alabama and Georgia, including Henry, Houston and Dale counties in Alabama and Seminole, Miller and Early counties in Georgia. He said the property also involved people from Jackson and Leon counties in Florida.

Gonzalez said Houston County Sheriff’s investigators have charged Chitwood with two felony counts of third-degree burglary. He also faces eight felony burglary charges from the Daleville Police Department, along with a single burglary charge from the Donalsonville Police Department in Georgia. He said more charges are pending in the ongoing investigation.

Dale County Chief Deputy Tim McDonald said Chitwood was being held in the Dale County Jail on Friday on a $135,000 cash or commercial security bond.

Gonzalez encouraged any Wiregrass residents who have storage units to regularly check on them to make sure they have not been burglarized.