FRANKLIN COUNTY, AL (WAFF) -
Thieves are targeting homes and churches along the Franklin and Colbert County line.
Thieves are hitting communities such as Frankfort and Jonesboro.
Community members are taking the law into their own hands.
They've formed neighborhood watches and are taking turns looking out for each other.
"We don't know whether it's local people doing it or someone that's just driving through here, but we're all aware of what's going on and we're all on it real good," said Jerry Hovater, part of the neighborhood watch patrol.
Hovater is one of the nearly two dozen people that make up the Jonesboro neighborhood watch.
Every day the group assigns one person to ride a day time shift and two people to watch after dark.
"I think people are just riding around finding when people are gone," he said.
Franklin County Sheriff's Department said in the last two weeks three churches and eight homes have been burglarized.
Investigators said the thieves are taking copper from the AC units at the churches and stealing jewelry and small electronics from the homes.
"It's a sad thing to hit a church, I'll tell ya," said Hovater. "Unreal people don't care anymore. People don't think what the Lord will do to them or nothing."
Investigators said they are looking for a maroon older model Chevy or Ford pickup truck.
Until officials can put a stop to the crimes, community members said they'll continue to patrol the area.
"We're going to stay on it 'til we catch them," said Hovater.
Deputies said if you have any information on the burglaries or see anything suspicious in your area, do not hesitate to call.
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The Jonesboro and Frankfort communities are forming a neighborhood watch after a string of home and church burglaries.
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