Gastonia Police are asking for the public’s help in the case of a string of car break-ins, including a Rowan County Sheriff’s deputy’s car, on Thursday, Jan. 23.
A Rowan County Sheriff’s Office deputy attending a marksmanship school in Gastonia had the trunk of his patrol vehicle broken into and weapons and tactical gear taken at a hotel on Remount Road in Gastonia. A second patrol vehicle belonging to the High Point Police Department was tampered with, but no items were stolen or missing.
Some of the Rowan County deputy’s stolen items were recovered in a dumpster at the Midland Commons Apartments, located at 2457 Midland Ave., which is near Wilkinson Boulevard and Ashley Road in Charlotte.
A suspect vehicle in the break-ins is described as a silver or gold Ford SUV, possibly an Explorer or Escape. Anyone who might have noticed any suspicious vehicles, including the possible gold or silver SUV, driving through the neighborhood late on Jan. 23 or early morning on Jan. 24, is asked to call Gastonia Police Detective J.A. Hallman at 704-866-6886.
The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of persons responsible for the car break-ins as well as the recovery of the items stolen from the deputy’s car.
If someone wants to provide information and remain anonymous, they can call Crime Stoppers of Gaston County at 704-861-8000. Crime Stoppers pays up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest.