A theft investigation led to the arrest of a Pike County couple suspected of stealing and pawning dozens of items throughout the state during the past five months.

Capt. Bob Williamson of the Pike County Sheriff’s Department said William Daniel Carswell, 45, and June Lynne Parker, 44, were arrested Tuesday and charged with theft and drug related charges.

“We received a tip from the Troy Police Department that they had been spotted … south of Springhill,” Williamson said. Deputies found the pair on County Road 2267 and Carswell, who was outside the vehicle at the time, attempted to flee. “We caught him, and arrested him on a probation violation warrant from Covington County,” Williamson said.

The pair’s vehicle and attached trailer were towed and during the investigation officers found methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and an 18-foot utility trailer, generator and battery charger all stolen from the Geneva Police jurisdiction.

“During the course of the investigation, we began looking at leads online,” Williamson said, explaining that pawn shops are required to register pawned items. “Parker was the only one with a valid ID, which you have to have to pawn an item … and starting in April she had been pawning a variety of times, such as weed-eaters, power tools, chainsaws, blowers, tools, trailers … in pawn shops in Hoover, Tuskegee, Montgomery, Birmingham, Alexander City, Troy, Ozark, Enterprise and Geneva.

“In talking with her, she admitted with an exception of just a couple of items, all were items they stole somewhere.”

Williamson said in addition to the pawned items, Parker said the pair sold items at thrift stores and to individuals.

“Most of the items were stolen out from under barns, storage units … none were stolen from houses, that we know of,” Williamson said. “Most of these were crimes of opportunity.”

Williams said investigators have connected the couple to a theft reported in the Brundidge area on Aug. 15. He also said investigators have video evidence that shows Carswell knocking on a homeowner’s door and, when no one answers, going to a barn and stealing a Husqvarna weed eater. “There’s video the same day with him in the same clothes going to a pawn shop in Enterprise with the weed eater,” Williamson said.

Because of the extensive amount of thefts and pawned items, Williamson said local officials are working with others around the state to try to identify reported stolen property. “We can’t go get it from the pawn shops until we have a victim and a report,” he said.

The Pike County Sheriff’s Office is working with the Geneva County Sheriff’s Department, Brundidge Police Department, Troy Police Department, Elba Police Department and Geneva Police Department.

Carswell was being held in the Pike County Jail, awaiting transfer to Covington County. He has been charged locally with theft of property, possession of drug paraphernalia and attempting to allude an officer. Parker was charged with theft of property and possession of a controlled substance, with a $2,500 bond.