Police say burglaries could be related

(Editor’s note: Kinston police are calling on the community for help in solving some of its most vexing cases. The Kinston Public Safety Department will present a different case each week and ask for any information that might help solve the crime.)

A break-in at a house in the 1500 block of Hardee Road on April 7 might be linked to two other break-ins in the neighborhood. Finding the person or persons responsible could prevent future burglaries.

“The person got in the house through an unlocked window,” Comdr. Greg Thompson said. “He probably went around and checked windows until he found one that wasn’t locked.”

The burglar stole more than $36,000 worth of jewelry and other items belong to the family, including two unique rings. One was a gold Indian head ring worth $1,000. Another was a gold nugget wedding ring worth $2,500.

“We have some physical evidence, and a few leads we’re following,” Thompson said, but police are hoping someone saw something unusual at the house that day, or someone has been approached to buy one of the many pieces of jewelry that was stolen.

The list includes: a $720 .45 caliber Glock handgun; a $300 portable DVD player; an $8,000 diamond ring; a $250 tactical flashlight; a $600 cubic zirconium three-stone gold ring; an $800 engraved oval gold pendant; a pair of $350 gold and silver panther loop earrings; two fine French rope necklaces worth $300; a gold seashell bracelet worth $100; an a $100 cats link gold bracelet and the two rings.

That same week, a house on Greenbriar was burglarized and another house on Rhodes Road was struck.

“There’s a good possibility they’re connected,” Thompson said. “We hadn’t had anything over there and in a week, we had three (burglaries). And especially with firearms being stolen from two of those places. People know if anything in their neighborhood looks strange and if it does they should call police. The little things can end up being very important to us.”

Anyone with information can call Thompson at 939-3188, or Crime Stoppers, 523-4444.