Authorities say a Birmingham man broke into a Hoover towing business to take back vehicle that had been impounded hours earlier from another man.

Andre James Byrd, 24, is charged with first-degree theft of property and first-degree criminal mischief, Hoover police said Thursday. He is on the run.

It all began about 6:45 p.m. on July 4 when police say 28-year-old Jeffrey Lebrock Chism was stopped in a stolen GMC Yukon, said Lt. Keith Czeskleba. The stop was made on Interstate 65 near Alford Avenue.

Chism was arrested and taken to the Hoover City Jail. Investigators then obtained a first-degree receiving stolen property charge against him. He was transferred to the Jefferson County Jail, where he remains held on $10,000 bond.

Things got interesting about six hours later, at 2:30 a.m. A driver for Pro-Tow wrecker service noticed a dark-colored Jeep Wrangler and a GMC Yukon pass him on Lorna Crest Road, heading toward Old Montgomery Highway, Czeskleba said. When he arrived back at the business lot, he saw that the front gate was heavily damaged and the Yukon he had towed earlier was missing.

A check of surveillance video showed a man climb over the gate and enter the wrecker lot. The suspect ran to the Yukon, where it appeared he retrieved a spare key from the gas cap. He then rammed the front gate, and fled the scene at a high rate of speed.

Jeffrey LeBrock Chism

Hoover detectives were able to identify that suspect as Byrd.

Court records show Chism has been arrested at least five times in four years on charges of theft and unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle. The same goes for Byrd.

"Law enforcement agencies throughout the Birmingham area are very familiar with Andre Byrd and Jeffrey Chism,'' said Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector. "They have both been arrested numerous times, mostly for breaking into cars and stealing cars."

"Our department has arrested Byrd five times already, dating back to 2011 when he was caught on a stolen motorcycle. Brief jail visits are clearly not a deterrent to these two career thieves,'' he said. "They commit crimes. We arrest them. They post bond and the cycle continues."