This year’s political season is yielding more than just heated debate in Atmore, including jail time for two women caught allegedly stealing campaign signs along Martin Luther King Avenue and Ashley Street Monday night.

Crenishia Antoinette Bosby, 24, of Fairhope, and Jawada Marquetta Bosby, 31, of Daphne, were taken into custody by Atmore police officers and agents with the 21st Judicial Drug Task force at approximately 8:45 p.m. after their vehicle was pulled over on Ashley Street.

The pair was also found with a 12-year-old minor and a .25 caliber handgun in the vehicle.

Task force agent Scott Walden said Atmore Police Department received a call from a citizen reporting suspicious behavior from the driver of a car matching the description of the silver SUV the Bosby women were driving. After pulling the women over, officers found several stacks of campaign signs for mayoral candidate Jim Staff. When questioned the women said they had received a call from a man they identified as “Mr. Williams,” who they said instructed them to go “pick up signs” in the area.

Walden said another vehicle seemed to be following the women’s SUV, but changed direction when police arrived.

Both women were charged with theft of property in the third degree, criminal trespass in the third degree and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Jawada Bosby was also charged with carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. Walden said the minor in question would be picked up by relatives from the Atmore Police Department.

Walden said removing a candidate’s campaign signs may not seem like a big deal, but added people should remember it is a crime and local police officers will enforce the law.

“People need to know, if they are caught doing something like this, we’re going to take them to jail,” Walden said.
Both women were transported to the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton, where they were later released on $7,000 bond each.