Jacksonville police investigate theft of about $17,000 from AutoZone

A reported theft of about $17,000 in cash from AutoZone on Morton Avenue left Jacksonville police investigating a case that could force the store to tighten cash-handling procedures and review security around one of the city’s busiest commercial corridors.

Officers were called to the store at 1201 W. Morton Ave. about 2 p.m. Thursday after someone reportedly took the money from the business. The loss is large enough to matter well beyond one register drawer or safe, especially for a retail operation that has to balance daily sales, employee access and customer flow in a high-traffic part of town.

The Jacksonville location is AutoZone #668 at 1201 W Morton Ave., with posted hours of 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. The store lists a phone number of (217) 479-2354. Directory listings place it near Jacksonville Middle School and close to the intersection of West Morton Avenue and Lincoln Avenue, a stretch many residents use for routine errands, school traffic and quick stops on the west side of the city.

Police have not identified a suspect and have not said how the money was taken. Investigators also have not said whether the theft involved the register, a safe or another part of the store’s cash-handling process. What is clear is that a substantial amount of money is missing and the case has become a live investigation in the county’s main commercial center.

Jacksonville sits at the center of Morgan County, which had a population of 32,915 in the 2020 census. With the county seat serving as the hub for shopping, government and day-to-day business, a theft of this size lands as more than a routine police call. It exposes how quickly a familiar stop on Morton Avenue can turn into a costly vulnerability for a local retailer.

The Jacksonville Police Department says its mission is to prevent crime and maintain order while promoting public trust and confidence, with a sense of safety and security. That makes the missing cash more than an accounting problem: it is now a test of security in a part of town where residents expect ordinary errands to stay ordinary.