GRANITE QUARRY ó A series of break-ins and thefts that has plagued a Granite Quarry business for years has finally led to an arrest ó thanks to a DNA match for blood found during one of the break-ins.
A Charlotte man has been charged and placed in the Rowan County Detention Center, according to the Granite Quarry-Faith Police Department.
Before the arrest, the thief or thieves had struck Rowan Power and Equipment, 121 N. Salisbury Ave., in October 2004, August 2006 and September 2006.
In the final break-in two years ago, Officer Page responded to an alarm at the business.
When he arrived, Page found a front window broken and a large number of hand tools missing. He called for a crime scene technician, who collected evidence, including some blood, at the business.
A DNA analysis of the blood matched it to Christopher Drew Schaeffer, officials said.
On July 31, Granite Quarry Sgt. Todd Taylor and officers from Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department found Schaeffer at his residence at 1922 Academy St. in Charlotte.
Schaeffer was charged with all three break-ins, which officers estimate resulted in the theft of $15,000 in equipment and $6,000 in damage.
Schaeffer is currently being held in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $25,000 secured bond pending a court appearance.