Speeding Past a Police Car

You know it’s going to be a bad day when you have an outstanding warrant, you’re driving a car with the wrong tag, and you go speeding by where a police officer is parked.  In a report filed with the Wilkesboro Police Department, an Officer was parked at the cul-de-sac on Industrial Park Road to observe traffic.  The Officer saw a red Honda come down the hill at a high rate of speed.  When he saw the police car, the driver of the Honda turned around and headed back up the hill.  The officer ran the tag which came back to a Buick not a Honda.  The Officer initiated a traffic stop.  The driver, Heath Hamilton, said he had just bought the car and was taking it out for a test drive.  His name was run through NC AWARE and came back with on outstanding warrant for felony larceny.  Hamilton was arrested and taken to Wilkes County Jail under a 2500 dollar bond.

Thieves Tried Twice

Then a Ronda resident told Wilkes County Sheriff’s Officials that he had would be thieves to come calling not once but twice.  The victim stated that a few days ago he noticed that the door of one of his outbuildings had been kicked open but nothing was stolen.  Then this week he noticed that someone had tried to pry the lock off another outbuilding he owns.  The thief was unable to break-in the building so again nothing was reported stolen.  Damages are listed at 50 dollars.  Perhaps the motto of this thief is:  If at first you don’t success, then try and not succeed again.

President and VP in NC

Our state is the destination for couple of VIP’s this week.  President Obama visits North Carolina today to advocate for his latest "jobs plan" in an invitation-only event in Apex and a public event at NC State.   Then Vice President Joe Biden will have a fundraiser in Raleigh on Thursday.  Some speculate that this is further proof of North Carolina's critical swing state status in the 2012 election. With the Democratic National Convention taking place in Charlotte, and numerous visits from Obama administration officials and the president himself, North Carolina is front and center for the 2012 campaign.

FEMA and Farm Help for NC Hurricane Survivors

More than two weeks after Hurricane Irene struck North Carolina, almost $12 million in state and federal aid has been approved to help those affected by the storm.  More an 17,000 survivors have contacted the Federal Emergency Management Agency for help or information regarding disaster assistance. Many people are seeking housing assistance from FEMA because their primary home was lost or damaged.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing Farm Service Agency emergency loan assistance to farmers who suffered losses during Hurricane Irene. The loans are a result of the disaster declaration requested by Gov. Perdue immediately following the Hurricane Irene and approved by President Obama.  The total of counties eligible for Federal disaster assistance is 43.   State and federal assessment efforts continue and more counties could be added later.   Gov. Perdue has also requested an expedited disaster declaration by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, who toured crop damage with Perdue following the hurricane. Such a declaration would allow for additional assistance for uninsured crops and restoration of damaged farmland.  Farm Service Agency offices in the affected counties are taking applications for physical and production losses.

Steal From Him Then Try to Run Over Him

First he stole the man’s generator and then he tried to run over him.  Saturday Wilkes County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to a theft and assault on Flint Hill Road in North Wilkesboro.  Before the Deputy could respond to the residence in North Wilkesboro, he was called to assist another Deputy who already had the suspects in custody.  Deputy Whitley had seen the suspects and had recognized them as having open warrants, so he stopped them.  The stolen generator was found in the back of their truck.  The owner told deputies that Bobby Bowers and Heather Anderson had come to his house and Anderson asked to see his garden.  While they were outside, Bowers drug the generator out of the man’s garage and loaded it on his truck.  When the victim realized what was happening, he grabbed the woman and tried to keep her there.  Bowers got in his truck and tried to run over the victim, Anderson jumped in the bed of the truck, and the two left the scene.  The victim was hit by the side mirror of the vehicle.  So besides the outstanding warrants, Bowers and Anderson were also charged with larceny and assault with a deadly weapon.  The stolen generator was returned to the victim.

Out of Town and Burglars In the House

It is, unfortunately, a common occurrence here in Wilkes.  While the homeowner is out of town, burglars break-in and steal.  In a recent report filed with the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Department, a Moravian Falls residence was entered while the homeowner was away for a couple of days.  The thief or thieves entered through a bedroom window and stole several guns and knives including two 50 caliber muzzle loaders, a scope, a 303 British rifle, a 410 bolt action shotgun, 12 pocket knives, and a Samurai sword.  Stolen property is valued at 890 dollars; damages to the window were estimated at 50 dollars.  There were no witnesses, there are no suspects, and the investigation is continuing.

Gun Found in Road

Wilkes County Sheriff’s Deputies are trying to determine who owns a gun found in the middle of the road.  Last week, a resident on Whites Creek Road found a pistol in the roadway.  The gun is described as a Ruger .357 Magnum with leather holster.  Some neighbors were questioned but all said the gun was not theirs.  No gun matching the description of this pistol has been reported stolen in Wilkes.  The Sheriff’s Department is still trying to contact all the local residents in the area where the gun was recovered.

Stolen Copper from Under a House on Wheels

Copper wiring and other copper items have become a popular thing among thieves as the cost of copper has nearly tripled in recent years.  Recently Wilkesboro Police were called to a field off Hwy 16 North.  A house was in the process of being moved and was loaded up on a trailer but was just parked in a field near Poplar Grove Baptist Church.  A neighbor passing by saw two white males under the house.  When the neighbor pulled into the field, the two men ran off.  With the house up on wheels, it was easy for the thieves to get to the wiring and copper plumbing underneath the house.  After inspection of the house, it was determined that almost all of the copper wiring and plumbing valued at 10,000 dollars had been removed and stolen.  Police have names of possible suspects and charges are pending.

Removed Light Switches to Steal Copper

And speaking of copper wiring thefts, another house sustained thousands of dollars in damages from someone who ripped open walls and ceilings just to get to the wiring.  The Wilkes County Sheriff’s Department investigated a report over the weekend of a residence on Longbottom Road.  The owner lives out of town and only uses the residence occasionally.  A man who oversees the property for the owner found that a window had been broken out.  Someone had gone inside the house and removed all the light switches and electrical outlets and then took the copper wiring out of the walls.  The ceiling in the upstairs bedrooms was torn down to gain access to more copper wiring.  Damages are estimated over 2000 dollars.  A Coleman camping heater valued at 100 dollars was also stolen in the break-in.  As 3WC News has already reported, a similar incident happened at the end of August at a house that was unoccupied and was in the process of being sold.  That house was located on Ridgewood Lane in Millers Creek and sustained over 20,000 in damages from someone ripping all the interior walls to steal the copper and electrical wiring.

Stolen From Foreclosure House

Over the weekend, a local real estate company called Sheriff’s Deputies to report a break-in and theft involving copper at a home that was listed as a foreclosure.  Sometime last week, thieves entered through a back sliding door.  Copper tubing and wiring and a condenser unit for a air conditioner were stolen.  Stolen items are valued at 700 dollars.  The house hit by thieves is being managed by Applefield Realtors in Wilkesboro and is located in Village Place.  There are no other leads and are no suspects.