An inmate from the Alabama Department of Corrections Work Release Center in Elba is at large after he walked away from his job at HB&G last Thursday.

“He’s considered ‘on escape’,” said ADOC Public Information Officer Brian Corbett. Ronnie Gilbert, 41, was last seen on the job at 1:30 p.m. on June 24.

“He did not clock out from work at 4:30,” Corbett said.

At that time, law enforcement agencies statewide were notified of his disappearance.

Gilbert was being detained for three counts of theft of property, two counts of burglary and two other class B felonies.

He was previously incarcerated in 1993 for three counts of burglary and one count of property theft.

Corbett said Gilbert was serving a life sentence, although his first chance at parole was coming next year.

“He had a listed parole possibility date of March 2011,” he said.

Corbett explained that although Gilbert was serving a life sentence, his being allowed to participate in the work release program was not unusual.

“It’s not uncommon considering the offenses are all non-violent and he had a parole date in nine months,” he said.

“He has already served over 14 years, he was considered a minimum custody inmate.

Gilbert is about 6 feet tall and 200 lbs., and he has a tattoo of barbed wire and skulls on his left arm.

Corbett said that if anybody has any knowledge regarding his whereabouts they should notify their local law enforcement agency.