Woman turns to Facebook, helps solve neighborhood burglary

Lori Bishop posted surveillance footage of a suspect vehicle to Facebook and quickly solved a... — Lori Bishop posted surveillance footage of a suspect vehicle to Facebook and quickly solved a burglary. (Source: WAFF)

Michael Childress could possibly face more burglary charges as victims come forward. (Source:... — Michael Childress could possibly face more burglary charges as victims come forward. (Source: Arab PD)

ARAB, AL (WAFF) - A Tennessee Valley woman took the Neighborhood Watch program to a whole new level when she helped solve a burglary in less than 24 hours.

When Lori Bishop heard what happened to her neighbor in the city of Arab, she used surveillance video and Facebook to nab the culprit.

Bishop has little patience for thieves and makes no bones about it.

"Our community is sick of this," she said. "We're sick of it."

When she heard her neighbor's home was broken into Friday afternoon, she went to work.

She rounded up her home surveillance video and some from a neighbor's, and noticed a white Bronco in the driveway around 1 p.m.

With a list of Facebook friends more than 2,000 in number, Lori posted a snapshot of it there.

"Everybody in town started sharing it, and so we started getting names, like, immediately," Bishop declared.

Bishop was able to get the Bronco's owner identified as Michael Childress. Her widespread search eventually got the attention of a couple who notified her Childress had left a lot of stuff at their home, including a jewelry case that was stolen from the home of Bishop's neighbor.

The amateur detective's next call was to police.

"I told them my name: 'This is Lori Bishop. I'm going to get my friend's things back. You can send backup if you want to,'" she recalled.

While there, Childress drove by in the Bronco, only to be quickly arrested by Arab police.

"We found some stolen items inside the Bronco," said Arab Assistant Police Chief Shane Washburn. "We also had an active warrant for Mr. Childress' arrest."

And inside the home was indeed the stolen jewelry box.

"It's worth it," Bishop said of her armchair sleuthing. "I got my friend's things back and we're going to get more that he's pawned."

Childress is now facing burglary charges while police continue their search for more of the stolen merchandise.

With more stolen items found, police say they're now searching for more victims.