WKRG News 5

$42k in stolen items, $88k in cash recovered from Alabama pawn shop

MARSHALL COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) – Multiple people, including the owners, were arrested after federal agents raided Joe’s Pawn Shop in Albertville on Thursday.

Marshall County Sheriff Phil Sims gave an update on the four-month-long investigation on Monday.

Sheriff Sims said during the search of the pawn shop, multiple items believed to be stolen were recovered. Many of these items were still in original, new packaging. Investigators determined that the items had been stolen from retail stores including Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, and Target.

Investigators estimated that those stolen items are worth $42,000. Agents also recovered 263 guns and a variety of gun accessories, despite the store not having a federal license to sell firearms. They also seized $88,000 in cash.

Sheriff Phil Sims asked that if you have legitimately pawned anything with Joe’s Pawn Shop, you will need to communicate with a representative of the pawn shop about retrieving those items. There are a lot of items and pawn tickets that still need to be examined, as this is an ongoing investigation.

The listed owner of the pawn shop, Joe Campbell III, 47, was booked into the Marshall County Jail and charged with receiving stolen property. Wandarine Campbell, 75, and Santo Andres, 21, were also charged with buying and receiving stolen property.

According to tax records, Wandarine Campbell is also an owner of Joe’s Pawn Shop.

Wandarine Campbell and Santo Andres were released on a $50,000 bond each. Joe Campbell was released on a $225,000 bond.

The defense team for Joe Campbell released a statement to News 19 saying in part that, “[We] are beginning to investigate the allegations involving Mr. Campbell and Joe’s Pawn Shop. Joe Campbell, III, is a lifelong resident of Marshall County and a small business owner,  who has been cooperative with the authorities and maintains his innocence.”

John Calton Eller, Zachary Mathew Shake, and Dylan Wayne Green are also charged with buying/receiving stolen property in connection with the investigation.

Sheriff Phil Sims said he expects there will be more charges and arrests in connection with this investigation.

“I want to commend my investigators and Special Agents with the Secret Service and ATF for their hard work and many hours they put into this investigation. Only by working together can we achieve cases like this. An operation that dealt with buying and selling stolen property has been shut down in this county and that’s a big deal,” said Sheriff Phil Sims in a statement ahead of the news conference.

The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by agents of the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives during the raid. The Loss Prevention Units from Walmart, Target, Lowes, and Home Depot also assisted in the investigation.

The preliminary hearing for Joe Campbell III is scheduled for September 7.