Break-In and Make a Mess

Was someone trying to break-in and steal or just break-in and make a mess?  A Wilkesboro resident contacted the Sheriff’s Department concerning a home break-in.  The victim returned home and found the front door had been pried open.  Someone had gotten inside the house and turned over the entertainment center.  The house was ransacked but nothing was reported stolen.  Damages are estimated at 200 dollars.  There are no suspects at this time.

Break-In and Ransack House

There are been a number of break-ins over the past couple of weeks here in Wilkes where the home is entered and ransacked but nothing is reported stolen.  A couple of Cove Creek Drive residents called the Sheriff’s Department last week with such a break-in.  The couple returned home and found that someone had pried open a basement door to get inside the house.  Cabinets and drawers were gone through, again the house was ransacked, but nothing was reported stolen other than a handful of change from a drawer.  So far there have been no known suspects in any of these break-ins.

Stolen PS III and Games

The old saying is:  When the cat is away, the mice will play.  With recent break-ins in Wilkes, maybe we should change the old saying to:  When the homeowner is away, the thieves will play.  A Roaring River resident had been away from home for a couple of days.  When he returned, he saw that his Playstation 3 and games were gone.  There was no sign of forced entry; however, Sheriff’s Investigators found a gap between the basement door and frame that could have been forced open to gain access inside the house.  Nothing else from the home was reported stolen, but that which was taken totaled over 700 dollars.  There are no suspects.

Stolen Mailbox and Yard Ornaments

They stole the mailbox, the mail inside the box, and yard ornaments.  In a report filed last week with the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Department, a Wilkesboro woman said she had fallen victim to thieves.  Her mailbox was broken off the post and taken along with the contents.  According to tracking of a package she ordered, a WiFi booster valued at 50 dollars was inside the mailbox at the time of the theft.  Then various yard items valued at 15 dollars were also taken.  No suspects were given; the Sheriff’s Department is investigating.

Hagan Pushes for FEMA Funding and Lowering US Debt

U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (NC), and other Senators in disaster ravaged states, last week led efforts to pass a $7 billion bill to ensure Americans devastated by natural disasters receive necessary aid. The bill, which passed the Senate by a vote of 62-37, must now pass the House of Representatives.   The bill provides $500 million in immediate, emergency funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make sure FEMA won't have to cut off help for victims of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee at the end of the month.   Hagan spoke on the Senate floor about the urgent need to pass this supplemental funding bill to ensure the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has the resources to assist storm-ravaged communities in North Carolina.   Also last week, U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D-N.C.) joined a bipartisan coalition of 36 U.S. Senators to encourage and support the members of the congressional “super committee” in efforts to seek the broadest possible bipartisan agreement to address the nation’s deficits and debt.  As part of the August compromise on raising the debt ceiling, a bipartisan 12-member panel was appointed to identify $1.5 trillion in budget savings over ten years.  Others have concluded that any meaningful and comprehensive solution should achieve at least $4 trillion in debt reduction if it is to reassure the financial markets, restore public confidence, and create the foundation for long-term economic growth.

Fake Check Sweepstakes Scam Has a Wilkes Woman Owing Thousands

A mail scam left a local woman in trouble with the bank for cashing a bad check.  Ironically the woman works the post office.  According to the report filed with the Wilkesboro Police, the woman received a letter in the mail from Varian Securities telling her that she had won a sweepstakes prize of 50,000 dollars.  Enclosed with the letter was a check written in the amount of 3,950 dollars.  The woman was instructed to cash the check, send back 2,450 dollars to cover taxes for the winnings, and then she would be sent the remainder of the prize…46,050 dollars.  She took the check to the North Carolina State Employees Credit Union and cashed it.  She then called the number on the letter and spoke with someone named “Rick” who advised her to send 920 dollars to someone in New York and to send the 2,450 dollars to someone in Maryland.  A few days later, she was contacted by the Credit Union who advised her the check was fake and she owed the Credit Union 3,950 dollars.  Wilkesboro Police and Western Union are investigating.  (additional) The Better Business Bureau estimates that billions of dollars have been lost as the result of fake check scams.  According to a recent survey by the Consumer Federation of America, nearly one-third of adults have been approached by a scammers with fake checks and at least 1.3 million people have fallen victim to the scam with an average loss of $3,000 to $4,000.  Fake Check Scams typically require the victim to deposit a check into their bank account then wire money back to the scammers. While the check may initially be deposited into the victim’s bank account—leading to a false sense of security—the fake check will ultimately be discovered by the bank.  The victim of the scam is out whatever money they sent to the scammers and will be responsible for paying the bank back if their account is overdrawn.  For more information go online to the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org . 

No Camera and Lights at Business Break-In

Sometimes even fences and security cameras don’t deter criminals from breaking in and stealing property.  In a report filed with the Wilkesboro Police this week, the owner of The Welding Company on Old HWY 421 called about a theft.  Some unknown offenders entered a fenced in area and took property valued at nearly 2000 dollars.  The two subjects were seen on video camera but were able to conceal their identity with hoods and even changed the angle of the security camera.  The property that is behind a fence and secured with locked gates was entered and two sets of welding machine leads which is 700 feet of welding leads were stolen.  One gate was found without a lock.  It is believed the thieves cut off the lock and took it with them.  The police are still investigating.

Theft at Local Landscaping Business

The Wilkes County Sheriff’s Department has been called to investigate another business break-in this week.  On Wednesday, Deputies were called to the Four Seasons Landscaping on Boone Trail in Millers Creek.  A lock had been cut off a building at the business and some things were stolen including a grease gun, 2 Stihl chainsaws, and a Motorola cell phone.  Stolen property is valued over 1300 dollars.  A neighbor reported hearing noises but could not see anyone.  The light bulbs had been unscrewed in the motion lights apparently by the thief or thieves to prevent being seen.  Sheriff’s Officials are still investigating.

Former Tyson Manager Dies...Memorial Service Is Saturday

A man well-known in the Wilkes business community has died.  Ralph Steele, 73, of  Wilkesboro, who retired as human resources manager for the Tyson Foods complex in Wilkesboro, died this morning, Wednesday, Sept. 14, at Hospice and Palliative Care Center in Newton.  Funeral arrangements are being handled by Reins Sturdivant.  A memorial Service for Mr. Steele, of Forest Hill Drive, Wilkesboro will be held Saturday, 11:00 at the First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro.  The family will receive in the Church Santuary following the service.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wes Steele Stadium Fund, Hospice of Wilkes, or to the First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro.

Wilkes Student One of the Last Congressional Pages

A North Wilkesboro high school student sponsored by Congresswoman Virginia Foxx has completed the summer 2011 semester as a Congressional Page in Washington, D.C.  Sarai Whittington, who is a senior at Millers Creek Christian School, completed the program in August.   Foxx said. “She has proven to be a committed student of congressional procedure and her success in the page program is a testament to her passion for learning and public service.” Whittington participated in what ended up being the last class of House pages ever, as House Speaker Boehner and Minority Leader Pelosi announced that the page program would be shut down after operating for more than 200 years.  “It was an honor to experience our government from the inside during one of the most important debates in our countries history involving the debt ceiling,” Whittington said.   When she graduates from high school Whittington plans to attend college to study to be a physical therapist.  She has been accepted to Lenior-Rhyne University and is in the midst of the application process at other colleges.