Sheriff warns residents about home break-ins in northern Iredell County

IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - The calm of a quiet rural community has been shattered by a rash of home break-ins. Home security cameras caught two men kicking in a back door and going through one of the houses where jewelry and two handguns were taken. The Sheriff is warning residents to be on the lookout.

“It’s a close knit community where people know this area real well and when somebody’s house gets broken into, they talk about it,” said resident Gary Andrews.

And it has now happened at least three times. Home video shows two men kicking in a back door and heading throughout the house.

“I found out there was two over there, one on Lentz Road, right near my house,” Andrews added.

Other break-ins were reported on Jennings Road and Sloan’s Mill Road.

“Yeah, it’s very unusual for this part of the county,” said Scottie Dishmond.

It’s so unusual for this area of northern Iredell County near I-77 that the Sheriff made a special social media post to warn residents to be on the lookout for suspicious people and suspicious vehicles in the area.

The post includes videos from the break-in on May 26 and the description of one man wearing a sweatshirt with the letters MMXX on the back, and the other man wearing a high visibility vest. The Sheriff also says a gray SUV was seen in the area at the same time.

“Iredell County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Deputies responded and were on the scene within 5 minutes of receiving the call, but the intruders had already left the home,” Sheriff Darren Campbell posted. “Detectives learned from witnesses in the area the suspects were in a dark gray SUV, similar to a Jeep Cherokee.”

There were two more break-ins on Monday that deputies say may be related to the first one.

Neighbors say it has been a hot topic of conversation and concern.

“Yeah, quite a few are concerned about it,” Andrews said.

“I think it’s disturbing,” added Dishmond. “That usually don’t happen around here, in town I hear of it happening quite often, but not out here.”

The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office is asking citizens of northern Iredell County to be on the lookout for any suspicious vehicles in their neighborhoods. The Sheriff’s Office is also requesting anyone with information to please contact the Sheriff’s Office at (704) 878-3180 or Iredell County Crime Stoppers at (704) 662-1340.

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