SALISBURY — Two people were arrested after police say they threw away a majority of their tenants’ belongings without going through the proper eviction process.

The incident began when one of the tenants began to complain that the landlords were not making repairs to the home, leaving them in poor living conditions, according to a spokesperson for the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office. The tenant then went to stay with a friend.

The landlords said that the tenants failed to pay the rent for November, so when they noticed they had moved out of the home they began to clear it out. They moved a dumpster out front and hired a cleaning crew to throw all of the tenants’ belongings away. Belongings that ended up in the dumpster included the tenants’ clothing, their furniture, two televisions, a computer and personal documents.

The tenant who reported the incident also said that when she returned home and went through her things, that an acoustic guitar and an amp belonging to her husband were both missing.

The spokesperson said that the landlords had not formally evicted the tenant.

Larry James Farris, 75, was charged with breaking and entering of a building and injury to personal property. Jean Ann Markowski, 68, was also charged with breaking and entering of a building and injury to personal property.

In Salisbury Police Department reports:

• A larceny of a bicycle occurred in the 700 block of East Innes Street between noon on Dec. 17 and 5:35 a.m. on Dec. 18. The total estimated loss was $200.

In Rowan County Sheriff’s Office reports:

• A theft of a motor vehicle occurred at Third Creek Church Road in Cleveland between 11 p.m. on Dec. 10 and noon on Dec. 11. It was reported on Dec. 17.
• Shoplifting occurred at Tingle Drive in Salisbury at 2:40 p.m. on Dec. 17.
• A missing person was reported at Scout Road in Salisbury at 9:50 p.m. on Dec. 17. Police reports indicate that the person returned home the next day and was confirmed found by deputies.
• Ishmael Tertius Holley, 23, was charged with up to 0.5 ounces of marijuana on Dec. 17.
• Willie Shannon Miller, 55, was charged with possession of a schedule II controlled substance on Dec. 17.