Burglars take woman's mattress, refrigerator

By Nathan Hardin

nhardin@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Lakesha Brown walked into her mobile home Friday and noticed her pillows were on the floor. After a few seconds, she said she realized her refrigerator, microwave, mattress and box springs were missing.

Brown is one of several break-in victims over the last few days, but authorities said Salisbury break-ins are beginning to slow down.

Salisbury Police Capt. Shelia Lingle said officers saw a sharp increase in break-ins in January accompanying a rash of air conditioning unit thefts.

But despite the dip, Lingle said police have seen a continued trend in day-time break-ins.

“When we do see them, they’ve been during the day,” she said.

Brown said the break-in, which is the second in six months, has forced her to think of moving from her home near East Ridge Road.

“It can't be random. This is the second time they’ve broken in. Last time they stole my Jeep.”

This time, she said, they took her refrigerator, microwave, mattress, television and stereo.

“Everything that was electric in my house is now gone,” she said. “It has to be somebody watching my house because I hadn’t been home.”

With no renters’ insurance, Brown said she has to foot the bill.

“I'm just hoping that they catch the guys who did it — or whoever did it,” she said.

Authorities took several other burglary reports over the weekend.

On Saturday, a Sidney Drive woman walked to the door to check out a strange noise, but found a man standing outside her window trying to break-in.

When the man saw her, according to a Salisbury Police report, he picked up a “brick scraper” and tried to break the window and unlock the door but fled before entering.

Another break-in was reported Sunday after a woman found the back door of her Magnolia Drive home had been pried open.

The woman told officers she was renting the residence and came home to find her 55-inch Toshiba flat screen and another 46-inch television missing.

Police ask that anyone with information about these break-ins to contact Salisbury Police at 704-638-5333 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.