Smithfield Police are asking residents who live in South Smithfield to check their vehicles to see if may have been broken into. Early Friday morning, officers arrested three people in connection with numerous car break-ins on several residential streets, including Holding and Wilson Streets.
Interim Police Chief Keith Powell said a South Smithfield resident was awakened early-Friday by the sound of his dog barking, thought something was suspicious near his home, and called police. Officers arrived and found one of the suspects inside a vehicle. A second suspect was found nearby. A police K-9 was brought to the scene and located a third suspect, Chief Powell told WTSB News. All the vehicles had been left unlocked.
Darnell T. Brown, 26, of Clayton and Joseph Rasheed Bell, 20, of Four Oaks were charged with 18 counts of breaking and entering motor vehicles and 10 counts of larceny. Bond was set at $300,000 each. Sirvanus Danglo Parrilla, 18, of Raleigh, was charged with larceny of a motor vehicle for a moped stolen during the early-morning crime spree.
As of Noon on Friday, Chief Powell said police were still getting calls from residents who were just discovering break-ins into their cars. Police encourage all residents in the area to check your vehicles for signs of any break-in or missing property.
Police did recover numerous stolen items from the suspects including money, credit cards and electronics, which will be returned to the owners.
Anyone who discovers their car has been entered is asked to contact Smithfield Police at 919-934-2121 so an officer can take a report.
