Woman arrested in Hokes Bluff theft

Hokes Bluff police have arrested a woman for theft after investigating property stolen from a DeSoto Street residence  on Nov. 22.

The investigation began when a resident reported the theft of two pistols and a large amount of jewelry. During the next week,  investigators began checking pawn shops and discovered a Taurus .45-caliber pistol at a Gadsden pawn shop.

Because the state requires people to show identification when they pawn property, the investigators were able to come up with a suspect. When they went to the woman’s house to talk to her, her brother told them she was at work, and that she worked cleaning houses.

Investigators called the property owner to determine if the woman in question cleaned his house. He said he learned the theft victim didn’t have a house cleaner, but that the suspect was a family member.

An Etowah County deputy stopped the suspect’s vehicle on Puckett Street and she admitted taking the guns and jewelry from the relative’s house while baby-sitting their children.

51 year old Wendy Whitten Estes, of Hokes Bluff, was arrested for first-degree theft for the taking of the jewelry, and second-degree theft for taking the guns. She was released Saturday on bonds totaling $7,500.