HAMLET — Police are investigating four home break-ins that occurred within a 16-hour time period this week.
The first was reported just after 12:30 Tuesday afternoon on Quail Hollow Drive, but nothing was stolen.
The next two happened sometime between 3:30 and 7:45 p.m. on opposite ends of town.
A home on Washington Avenue was broken into where a PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and pair of headphones were reported stolen, according to an incident report.
A home on Buttercup Drive, in the Hamlet Housing Authority, was also reportedly stolen from.
The list of pilfered items: four televisions, including a Vizio 65-inch and a 30-inch flatscreen; an Xbox 360 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3; three money-counting jars and $90 in currency; two packs of corn dogs, two packs of ground beef and three packs of Jimmy Dean sandwiches.
According to the report, one of the televisions was recovered.
Investigators also seized a butter knife.
The property was damaged based on the crime committed section of the report, but there is none listed in the property section.
A fourth home, on Pine Street, was reportedly broken into and robbed between midnight and 3 a.m. Wednesday.
A television was stolen and a window screen cover and rear door of the residence were damaged, according to the report.
Anyone with information on any of these break-ins is encouraged to call the Hamlet Police Department at 910-582-2551 or Richmond County Crime Stoppers at 910-997-5454.
In an effort to help prevent and solve crimes throughout the city, the department is creating a Neighborhood Watch program. An organizational meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. July 30 at City Hall.
The department is also rolling out it’s Adopt-a-Block program from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3.
With that initiative, officers will be assigned certain blocks to patrol throughout the year.
