GULF SHORES, Ala. – Gulf Shores Police Chief Edward Delmore keeps a prized family heirloom in his office, one he placed in the care of evidence custodian Barry Martin when police offices were renovated.

“That’s a baseball that was signed by Babe Ruth on my dad’s 12^th birthday,” Delmore said Tuesday. “Recently when they were doing some remodeling to our offices, I gave that baseball to Barry Martin to watch for me. And he returned that to me.”

Martin, a civilian employee of the department since 1999, was in jail on Tuesday for allegedly stealing from the Gulf Shores evidence locker. A detention officer most of that time, in July of 2010 was given the duties of evidence room custodian.

 “This individual is one that we felt so very comfortable in that position because he was so trusted,” Delmore said.

Police say drugs, electronics and firearms from the evidence room were found in Martin’s home on Shadywood Lane or in his vehicle. Martin is on administrative leave and termination proceeds have begun, according to Lt. Bill Cowan of Gulf Shores.

Delmore on Tuesday appeared with Baldwin County Sheriff’s investigators and District Attorney Halle Dixon a press to announce the charges against Martin. Baldwin County officials were called into the investigation at the request of Gulf Shores.

“At this point Gulf Shores is working with our office,” Dixon said. “We have begun the process of pulling all files that originated from this area and reviewing them comparing what was seized to what is present. It is an ongoing process.”

Dixon said the evidence involves at least 11 drug cases that have already received indictments and the evidence could involve as many as 100 cases.

“At this point, yes, there will be cases that are compromised,” Dixon said. “We do not know the extent yet, but are receiving full cooperation in establishing that.

We don’t have all of them yet. We are starting, for obvious reason, with the narcotics cases.”

The department is evaluating procedures in the storing of evidence and conducting an audit of the evidence closet. Two investigations, an internal investigation within the department and a criminal investigation being handled by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s department, are ongoing.

“We’re still in the process of determining exactly what is missing,” Delmore said. “How much is missing and how long. But in terms of him having the ability to do things he shouldn’t have done, that could’ve begun potentially as early as July 2010, although it’s likely, we believe, it’s much more recent.”

Accusations first came to light on Jan. 23, according to a department release, at which time Martin was placed on leave. After more evidence gathering and execution of search warrants by the sheriff’s department, Martin was arrested and placed in the Baldwin County Jail on Jan. 27.

“I think the thing that’s important to know here is that we’re talking about something that is not systemic, it doesn’t involve a number of employees,” Delmore said. “It involves only one employee who did something very egregious. It has affected everyone in the organization.

“And someone who we were completely surprised by. It’s a situation where we’re still shocked. We’re embarrassed and we’re frankly very angry he would do this. We wanted to act very quickly.  Not only to resolve this issue, but to make sure there were no further issues.”

Nearly 50 guns were recovered, but not all of those were stolen from the police department, according to Capt. Anthony Lowery of the Baldwin County Sheriff’s department.

“We’re still running some of those down at this point,” Lowery said. “There were handguns and long guns.”

Delmore said he hoped the actions of a civilian employee did not tarnish his department’s reputation.

“It should not reflect on this entire agency which is filled with dedicated professionals,” Delmore said.