Tuscaloosa Man Charged With Breaking Into Middle School Twice

A Tuscaloosa man was arrested earlier this week and charged with breaking into an area middle school twice during its Thanksgiving break last month.

Stephanie Taylor, a spokesperson for the Tuscaloosa Police Department, said the 60-year-old suspect, Ronnie Earl Melton, is believed to have broken into Westlawn Middle School on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard once on November 23rd and again on November 26th.

Taylor said Melton is believed to have stolen a desktop computer the first night and a laptop three days later, as well as a large quantity of potato chips and chewing gum.

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Taylor said the suspect was caught on surveillance cameras both nights, and multiple TPD officers recognized the man in the video to be Melton.

Officers caught up with him Monday and took him into custody. Melton was charged with two counts of third-degree burglary and remained in jail Thursday pending a combined $30,000 bond, but Taylor said more charges may be pending as the school investigates the theft of first-aid supplies and hand sanitizers from two of its buses last weekend.