FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Detectives with the Fairhope Police Department arrested two Fairhope men Wednesday in connection with a series of recent thefts. Stolen property with an estimated value of nearly $10,000 was recovered, according to a press release.

Sgt. Craig Sawyer, FPD press information officer, stated the arrests cleared at least four crimes that occurred in Fairhope within the past month. 

• On Friday Feb. 29, a break-in was reported at the Battles Wharf Mini-Mart on Scenic Highway 98 in which numerous cartons of cigarettes were stolen. 

• On Tuesday March 4, a theft was reported at a home construction site in the Stone Creek subdivision in which approximately $1,000 in copper wiring was stolen. 

• On Wednesday March 12, a theft was reported at the construction site of the new Fairhope Middle School in which an estimated $6,200 in copper wiring was stolen along with a cutting torch and tanks valued at over $1,000. 

• On Wednesday March 19, a burglary was reported at Buffet Enhancements in which computers and assorted food service implements were stolen. During this burglary, entry to the building was made by cutting locks and doors with a cutting torch. 

The recovered property included spools of copper wiring, construction tools, computers, cameras, a cutting torch and tanks, and food service equipment. Detectives Stephanie Hollinghead and Fred King are also trying to see if other recovered property might be connected to other thefts. 

Randy Lee Crocker, 19, and Christopher Darwin Higginbotham, 19, both of Fairhope, were arrested. Each was charged with two counts of burglary in the third degree, two counts of theft of property in the second degree and two counts of criminal mischief in the second degree. After being booked into the Fairhope Municipal Jail, the two were transferred to the Baldwin County Corrections Center in Bay Minette, where they were booked yesterday morning. 

According to the press release, additional charges will be presented to the Baldwin County Grand Jury.