Two people, including an adult and a juvenile, are facing charges after breaking into three separate kennels in two different counties overnight and stealing as many as five dogs, according to Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.

Three pit bulls were stolen from the Rowan County Animal Shelter according to deputies, who said an employee who arrived for work at the Julian Road facility just after 6:30 a.m. discovered an unlocked gate and a kennel door ajar, but it was not until other employees arrived that it was realized dogs were missing.

Two blue and white pit bulls named Lightning and Thunder had been picked up by Rowan County Animal Control Tuesday afternoon in Kannapolis, and those two were the first dogs staff realized were missing. In addition, another blue and white pit bull named Wessie was apparently taken and initially it was thought a fourth pit bull, also blue and white, was missing, but Legend was later found in the wrong kennel.

A review of nearby security footage captured a dark-colored, full-size pickup entering the back of the facility about 4:07 a.m. and departing about 4:30 a.m. said deputies.

Meanwhile, sheriff deputies also received a call from Faithful Friends on Grace Church Road reporting  that at 4:47 a.m. there was a break-in at that facility. A staff member reported she got a notification at that time from the Ring doorbell camera that there was movement but she initially assumed it was one of the animals. When she actually checked the video, she saw a black passenger vehicle driving away and upon arrival at the shelter, she found the front gate damaged and pieces of a tail light on the ground. No animals were taken from the facility.

Rowan County deputies then began contacting surrounding counties to see if there had been any burglaries nearby, and Davidson County reported there was a break-in at the Davidson County Animal Shelter between 1:30 and 2:15 a.m. and two pit bulls had been stolen from that facility.

At 3:40 a.m. Wednesday morning, Davidson County deputies contacted Rowan County and said they had found two suspects in the burglaries who had made a full confession to all, including the break-ins in Rowan, and the dogs had been safely recovered. Davidson County deputies said the dog Wessie had a microchip which allowed them to track his location.

Davidson deputies charged 19-year-old Joe Lee Jeanis and a juvenile. By the end of the day, Jeanis was no longer listed as in custody. RCSO was meeting with Davidson County deputies Wednesday afternoon before considering filing additional charges.

The motive for the burglaries is still unclear.