ROCKINGHAM — Police are investigating several recent home, business and vehicle break-ins and other larcenies around the city.
According to an incident report, a Ford Econoline van belonging to Weatherspoon Heating and Cooling was broken into while parked on Hillcrest Drive between Dec. 8 and 10.
The report indicates that the thief or thieves made off with an oxygen-acetylene torch, a nitrogen regulator and a tool box.
On Dec. 11, an officer responded to the Holiday Inn Express to a call of a vehicle break-in.
The report shows that the passenger-side window of a GMC Sierra belonging to M&M Electric, based in Gastonia was smashed while sitting at the hotel some time between 9 p.m. Dec. 10 and 8 the following morning.
Nothing is listed as being stolen.
The same officer responded to the Fairfield Inn a short time later where a Greenville man reported that the passenger-side window of Chevrolet Silverado was broken and an impact drill was stolen.
On Dec. 6, an employee of Bryant’s Turf and Landscape reported that a suspect had stolen a Honda generator between 2:20 and 2:30 p.m.
Those cases are still under investigation.
A Chesterfield, South Carolina, woman reported Dec. 10 that her Hyundai Sonata had been broken into at Perdue Farms and the keys had been stolen.
The investigating officer spoke with the alleged victim, her employer and the listed suspect: 20-year-old Zachary Ty Alderson.
Alderson was arrested and taken to the Richmond County Magistrate’s office where he was charged with breaking and entering a motor vehicle and misdemeanor larceny.
He is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 16.
An officer responded Dec. 11 to a breaking and entering call at a Dogwood Lane residence.
Mark Alan Payne, 42, of Gastonia was charged with misdemeanor breaking and entering. He also has a court appearance scheduled for Jan. 16.
Records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction show that Payne’s only previous conviction was a DWI in Lincoln County in 2010.
Alderson has no prior convictions, according to online records.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
