By Shavonne Potts
shavonne.potts@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A homeless man caught breaking into a Kannapolis church admitted to breaking into the church once before, according to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office charged Garrett Lee Bonner, 37, with misdemeanor breaking and entering a building. According to Maj. Chad Moose, Bonner told the officer he was living in a tent behind the BP station on West C Street.

On Nov. 12, deputies responded to Bethpage United Methodist Church, 109 Fellowship Ave., after the church pastor saw a man at the boarded-up window. A deputy responded to the area and saw someone walking away who matched the description that was given.

The man confessed to the officer that he broke a window during a previous break-in. Because it was still boarded up, he pried the board off and gained access into the church again, Moose said. The man also had a small kitchen knife in his waistband that belonged to the church, Moose said.

Bonner told the deputy he was getting his clothes that he left in the church the last time. He said his clothes had gotten wet in the rain.

Rowan investigators said in February 2019 someone damaged the prayer chapel at the church. Nothing was taken in that first incident but a window was broken, officials said at the time.

In other Rowan County Sheriff’s Office reports

• A man reported on Thursday someone stole items from a vehicle parked in the 100 block of Forest Abbey Lane, China Grove.

• A man reported on Thursday someone stole items from his vehicle while in the 100 block of Mackenzie Court, China Grove.

• Bank of America reported on Thursday some fraudulent transactions were made with a victim’s debit card while in the 100 block of Mary Esther Lane, China Grove.

• A man reported on Thursday he was the victim of larceny while in the 3300 block of Old Mocksville and East Ridge roads.

• A man reported on Thursday he was the victim of larceny while in the 2700 block of Potneck Road, Woodleaf.

• Rowan-Salisbury School System reported on Thursday larceny from a vehicle in the 100 block of Waccamaw Drive.

• Tammy West Hartsell, 45, was charged on Thursday with misdemeanor simple assault while in the 200 block of Miracle Drive.

• Caleb Clayton Ratliff, 22, was charged on Thursday with felony breaking and entering motor vehicles while at the Rowan County Magistrate’s Office.

• Richard Dewayne Long, 30, was charged on Thursday with felony breaking and entering a motor vehicle and felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver a controlled substance schedule IV while on Mooresville Road.

• Jessica Danielle Jones, 29, was charged on Thursday with misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance schedule III while in the 100 block of China Grove Road and Hardin Drive, China Grove.

• Amber Lynn Brown, 32, was charged on Thursday with felony possession of a controlled substance schedule II while in the 100 block of China Grove Road and Hardin Drive, China Grove.

• A woman reported on Saturday someone attempted to break into her attached garage in the 300 block of Rimertown Road, Rockwell.

• A man reported on Sunday he was the victim of a burglary while in the 2100 block of Swan Street, Kannapolis.

• A woman reported on Sunday someone broke into her home in the 8000 block of Longbriar Drive, Kannapolis.

• A man reported on Sunday someone stole items from a building in the 11700 block of Old Beatty Ford Road, Rockwell.

• A woman reported on Sunday she was the victim of a burglary in the 10600 block of Old Beatty Ford Road, Rockwell.

• Karly Shae Richmond, 45, was charged on Sunday with misdemeanor simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance while in the 1600 block of Heilig Road.

In Salisbury Police Department reports

• Joseph Daquan Scott, 22, was charged on Monday with discharging a firearm into an occupied property while in the 600 block of West Fisher and South Craige streets.