Man suspected of burglarizing cars in Fort Morgan nabbed

Man suspected of burglarizing cars in Fort Morgan nabbed

Baldwin County Sheriff’s deputies, with assistance from GSPD, arrested a man they believe broke into at least 30 autos in the Fort Morgan area dating back to early April. But it wasn’t easy.
Grand Bay resident Michael Todd Whittenton, 32, was arrested at 6:30 a.m. on July 30 after he was spotted driving north on Hwy. 59 in Gulf Shores. When deputies attempted to pull his car over, the suspect fled.
Following a high speed chase, Whittenton was arrested near South Baldwin Medical Center in Foley after running over spike strips and crashing his vehicle. He was charged with attempting to elude a police officer, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and possession of a pistol by a violent felon. His bond was set at $33,000.
Breaking and entering charges will be added once the recovered property is matched up with the individual victims, according to BCSD officials. Police said Whittenton stole at least 12 guns in addition to cash and other items.
“This is something that’s been going on since April. It gets frustrating. You want to be able to protect the community at large and make people feel safe, not just in their own community, but people that are visiting,’’ stated BCSD in a release. “The crimes appeared to center around vacationers arriving at their rental condos for extended stays.
“This case highlights the importance of all residents and visitors to remove valuables from their cars, lock their cars, turn on outside lights, and lock up their homes. This would include items such as purses and handguns. Being a responsible gun owner comes with accountability, such as proper use and stowing when not in use.”
Whittenton’s arrest followed an extensive investigation into a numeous auto burglaries of both locked and unlocked vehicles in the Fort Morgan area over the past four months. He was identified as a suspect early in the investigation, and police have been looking for him since April. The five guns in the suspect’s possession at the time of his arrest were reported stolen that day. He has an extensive police record dating back to 2009.