Law & Order

FLORENCE

Robbery under investigation

Police are looking for a man who walked into Q-Gas convenience store on Huntsville Road early Thursday and robbed the clerk.

Detectives said the robbery took place at 4 a.m. at the business at Huntsville Road and Cox Creek Parkway.

"The man walked in wearing a bandana over his face and either a black bandana or skull cap on his head and demanded the money," said detective Kevin Jackson.

Jackson said the man was last seen running east on Huntsville Road.

"We don't have a lot to go on at this point," Sgt. Dennis Patterson said.

"We're hoping someone may have seen something and can help us."

Jackson said the suspect was described as a white man in his 20s, about 6 feet tall with a slender build. He was wearing blue jeans and a gray short-sleeve shirt over a long-sleeved shirt.

Neither of the clerks at the business was injured.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 768-2728 or CrimeStoppers at 386-8685.

SHEFFIELD

House fire caused by heater

Firefighters say a piece of furniture sitting next to a wall heater caused the fire that destroyed a house Wednesday afternoon.

Sheffield Fire Inspector Terry Lenz said he found a loveseat next to the wall heater. The fire occurred at 3 p.m. at Austin Avenue and West 8th Street.

"The couple were moving in, and had placed furniture and other items next to the wall and they assumed the wall heater was off," Lenz said.

"(They) had the electricity turned on Wednesday afternoon, and when it was turned on, the heater came on and ignited the loveseat."

Lenz said the couple were not at home; they had gone to get other items to move in when the fire started.

"You'd be surprised how many times fires start like this," he said.

ST. FLORIAN

Cause unknown in house fire

Firefighters from several departments worked for more than six hours on a fire that destroyed a Church Road house Thursday.

"There really wasn't anything anyone could do," St. Florian Police Chief Ralph Richey said.

Richey said the house, at 1648 Lauderdale 30, known as Church Road, was vacant.

Flames and smoke were shooting out of the windows, doors and the attic when firefighters arrived.

"There wasn't a lot they could do but try to control it," Richey said.

He said the house had been empty for about four years.

"The owners lived in South Carolina and have just sold it and I had been helping them get furniture out. In fact, I was supposed to meet some of the family from Falkville here today," Richey said Thursday.

"I had to call them on the way and let them know the house was a loss and everything inside."

Firefighters from Mid-Lauderdale, Zip City, Underwood-Petersville and Greenhill responded to the fire. A firefighter from Central who was driving by stopped and helped.

"These guys really worked well together," Richey said. "Everything went as well as could be expected under the circumstances."

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

ARRESTS

Lauderdale County sheriff

• Deborah Buckman Corbin, 58, 110 S. Cypress St., Apt. 507, Florence; grand jury indictment for unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

REPORTS

Lauderdale County sheriff

• Prescription pills were taken from a residence in the 1100 block of Lauderdale 175, Florence.

• A gas stove and refrigerator were taken from a residence in the 2100 block of Alabama 101, Rogersville.

• A wallet containing a student identification, driver's license and personal information was taken from a residence on Ellis Street, Rogersville.

• A green Kawasaki four-wheeler was taken from a residence in the 5600 block of Alabama 64, Lexington.

Florence police

• A silver 2007 GMC Sierra truck was damaged while parked in the 100 block of Etta Gray Drive.