Birmingham Cops Nab 28-Year-Old in Downtown Robbery Spree

Birmingham Police Department detectives apprehended 28-year-old Marcus Jamal Reed in the 1900 block of 2nd Avenue North around 10 p.m. on April 25, 2026, capping a frantic manhunt for the serial robber. Reed, a Birmingham native with prior theft convictions, allegedly struck five times between April 19 and April 24, targeting late-night pedestrians near 20th Street North and the BJCC arena district. Victims reported the gunman demanding cash, phones and wallets while flashing a black semiautomatic pistol, with losses totaling over $3,200 in cash and goods, according to initial police reports first detailed by the Alabama Daily News.[1] The breakthrough came from citywide surveillance cameras and a tip from a downtown bartender who recognized Reed from circulated suspect sketches. BPD's Robbery Unit, bolstered by federal task force agents, tailed Reed from a Five Points South hideout before the takedown. "This arrest sends a clear message: Downtown Birmingham will not be a safe haven for predators," said BPD Chief Scott Thurmond in a Saturday press conference at City Hall. Reed was booked into Jefferson County Jail on five counts of first-degree robbery and held without bond pending initial appearance.