Teen faces charges in break-ins of home, vehicles in Guilford

By Rachael Scarborough King, Register Staff
April 4, 2008

GUILFORD — Police arrested a 16-year-old boy Wednesday after a series of car and home break-ins Tuesday night.

Officials do not believe the burglaries are related to a string of residential break-ins in February, Deputy Police Chief Jeffrey Hutchinson said.

The incidents Tuesday night occurred on Deerfield Drive, police said.

A woman called the Police Department Wednesday to report that someone had taken cash and food from her home while she was sleeping.

Officers searching the area found food from the woman’s house, as well as garage door openers, change and paperwork that they thought had been taken from vehicles in the area. Another resident told police she found a leather jacket and more food in her yard.

“Some of it seemed to be semi-concealed in the woods,” Hutchinson said. He added that it appears there were break-ins at one home and four cars.

Based on the items recovered, Officer Fred Hill, who police said knows the area and some of the residents there, went to a home on a nearby street. At the house, he saw footprints similar to those at the crime scene, according to police. The residents invited him into the home, where police said he found evidence implicating a 16-year-old living there.

Officers arrested the juvenile, who was arraigned Thursday morning. Police did not release his name because of his age.

Hutchinson said that police found some items that have not been claimed by their owners.

“We may have some stuff that belongs to people that haven’t informed us that they had anything taken yet, so anybody who thinks that they might be a victim of a crime, give us a call,” he said.

The department’s number is 453-8061.