Burglary suspect fumbles way to new drug charges

(Roanoke, AL) — A local man already facing burglary and theft charges in Franklin is now facing additional drug charges in Alabama after allegedly dropping his meth stash in the parking lot at his place of employment.

According to a Roanoke Police Department arrest report, 34-year-old Clint Teal of Franklin was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Drug Paraphernalia at his workplace on March 16.

Clint Teal (Photo: RCSO)

The report indicates that Teal accidentally dropped a plastic baggie of Meth outside of his truck in the employee parking lot.

The Meth was later discovered by a co-worker and turned into management who notified the authorities.

Police then verified the substance to be Methamphetamine, and upon inspection of video footage provided by the business were able to identify Teal as the person who dropped it in the parking lot.

Upon his arrest, officers also discovered a glass smoking pipe with white residue on Teal’s person leading to the additional Paraphernalia charge.

When later cleaning out Teal’s work desk, the employers located several “Xanex bars,”, but Teal denied ownership and was not charged for possession of these pills.

Teal is one of three suspects who were arrested in Franklin on February 19 of this year on numerous theft charges related to a November of 2019 burglary at D&G Mechanical, Rivers Edge and Rite Made Fabrications.

Lt. Tino Brooks of the Franklin Police Department estimated the amount of stolen property in that heist to be about $150,000.

In addition to the stolen delivery van, other items taken included specialty tools, equipment, and a server.

Reports indicate that Clint Teal was an employee at one of those Franklin businesses at the time of the theft, but left the company a few weeks after the alleged burglary.

The trio allegedly torched a stolen van taken during the heist that was later discovered burned out in western Heard County.