Salisbury Police detectives are investigating a number of break-ins that occurred at homes in an area near Catawba College before and after the Christmas holiday.
On Dec. 20, officers received a call from a woman who told them someone entered her West Corriher Avenue home through the back door. She’d propped a chair against the door to secure it after she became aware of other break-ins in the area. When she arrived at her home someone had forced open the back door and exited out the front door.
The thief took her child’s video games, a DVD player, jewelry, a camera, television and backpack.
The homeowner said she didn’t feel comfortable staying in the home so she quickly left and stayed elsewhere. She returned to her home on Tuesday to find the home had been ransacked.
Police are investigating the two break-ins at the West Corriher Avenue home, but believe it could possibly be just one break-in.
A neighbor who also lives on West Corriher Avenue reported someone tried to break into her home on Tuesday morning. A bedroom window had been damaged, but nothing appeared to be taken, a report said.
The homeowner’s neighbor saw a ladder and other items behind her house. The neighbor, armed with a gun, chased away two men he saw behind the home. The neighbor told investigators the men were wearing dark clothing. A backpack that belonged to the owner of the first break-in was found behind the home, along with a bottle of ammonia and a glass vase. The suspects used a brick to break her window. She found the brick inside the bedroom, the owner told police.
Thieves also broke into a home on South Link Avenue, near the Hefner VA Medical Center, less than half a mile away from West Corriher Avenue, a report said.
A neighbor who was checking the home told police someone took a laptop and desktop computer and a 1976 Buick that was parked at the home. A back glass window and screen were broken and it appeared the thief went into the home on Christmas day. The vehicle was found by a Rowan County Sheriff’s deputy, abandoned on Woodleaf Road.
Another home, located just a few blocks away, on Ackert Avenue, was broken into Thursday, the day after Christmas. The homeowner told police a man tried to break into his home, but was startled by his roommate, who was home.
The would-be burglar broke the glass to a back door and attempted to turn a lock when the roommate awoke. The burglar was wearing a dark colored sweatsuit. Nothing was taken from the home, a report said.
A West Horah Street home was broken into and police say they may be connected to all of the other break-ins. The homeowner reported someone went inside her home sometime between 1 p.m. Christmas Eve and Thursday night. She went inside her home with her son to discover the thief took two televisions, a freezer, a speaker and $300 worth of food. A bedroom window pane was broken and believed to be how the robber got inside.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Salisbury Police at 704-638-5333 or Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers at 704-866-639-5245.