Two charged with robbery following residential burglary

Police have charged two suspects in connection with an apartment burglary.

The burglary occurred at Ridge Crossings Apartments off of John Hawkins Parkway near the Galleria around 3:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17. A resident returned home and found his door was kicked in. There were two suspects in the apartment, and one was armed with one of the victim’s guns.

The armed suspect told the victim to leave, and the victim left. The suspects left the electronics they were attempting to steal, according to police, but left with two handguns that belonged to the victim.

Detectives were able to identify the suspects as Birmingham residents 38-year-old Desmond Dewayne Turner and 35-year-old Jeffrey Daniel Rozell through evidence gathered at the scene.

Turner was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force Monday, Sept. 21 at 7:30 a.m. He was brought to Hoover City Jail and will be transferred to Jefferson County Jail by the end of the day.

Turner has a criminal record including at least 14 arrests, according to police. Capt. Gregg Rector said Turner was most recently arrested after turning himself into the Jefferson County Jail on Aug. 24. Police had obtained a warrant for Turner’s arrest earlier in August on the charge second degree receiving stolen property.

“Desmond Turner is an individual that many in the law enforcement community are familiar with,” Rector said. “Getting arrested is clearly not a deterrent to him. He will prey on innocent citizens as long as he’s not locked up.”

Rector said Turner’s 14 arrests include at least 55 individual criminal charges, one of which was attempted murder.

Rozell was arrested by the Marshals Task Force around 10 a.m. on Sept. 21. He was captured after a brief pursuit on food and will be transferred to the county jail later today.

“Jeffrey Rozell has been arrested at least 17 times, and I would certainly classify him as a career criminal as well,” Rector said. “He’s been arrested on drug charges, thefts and robberies dating back to 1998. He too has served time in prison.”

Rector also thanked Hoover detectives and patrol officers for their work in resolving this case.

“Our patrol officers and detectives worked very hard to solve this crime quickly,” he said. “The U.S. Marshals Task Force also did an outstanding job once again locating these two suspects quickly and delivering them to our jail.”