Authorities have charged three people in connection with numerous vehicle break-ins and larcenies in Burke County.
The Valdese Police Department charged on Sept. 21 Barry Ronnie Carver Jr., 18, of 401 Bass St. S.W. in Valdese and Lillian Cheric Watson with felony breaking and entering into a motor vehicle and felony possession of stolen goods.
The Burke County Sheriff's Office on Monday charged Carver and Paul Anthony Lunsford II, 20, of 2323 Hill Drive in Valdese with felony breaking and entering into a motor vehicle, felony larceny and felony possession of stolen goods.
Investigators said a Valdese police officer on Sept. 21 saw a suspicious vehicle in front of D&C's Custom Auto Painting, 100 Lovelady Road N.E., Valdese.
The police officer found Watson in Lunsford's truck. A short while later, Lunsford and Carver returned to the truck and claimed they had gone to find assistance for car problems.
The officer determined that Carver stole a 2002 Kia Sephia from Moose Motors in Drexel and he, Watson and Lunsford took the car to the Huffman Bridge Road area and stripped it for parts.
Lunsford was not charged at the time because of his cooperation with investigators, Burke County Sheriff's Detective David South said. Lunsford told them about 14 locations in the county where the trio had committed thefts – including some not yet reported by the victims, South said.
The majority of the thefts took place within a week of Sept. 21, South said.
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