By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
ROCKWELL — A Rockwell man was arrested Tuesday after deputies say he broke into a home and stole almost $3,000 in electronics and two firearms.
According to a Rowan County Sheriff’s Office report, 22-year-old Joshua Michael Phillips, 201 N. Hambley St., was charged with breaking into Cody Stirewalt’s home on St. Peter’s Church Road and stealing four paintball guns, a metric wrench set, fishing rods, a flat screen TV, two cell phones, an Xbox 360 and 10 Xbox video games.
Stirewalt had been out of town on vacation for about two weeks in July, according to the report. He filed a report on Aug. 2.
The report said Stirewalt told deputies several suspects that may have broken into the house.
Deputy Kevin Myers began questioning possible suspects and arrested Phillips after he admitted to the break-in. The report said Phillips was cooperative with the investigation.
Phillips is an “acquaintance” of Stirewalts, the report said. It is unclear if a prior incident led to the break-in.
According to deputies, Phillips also stole a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun and a .38 caliber rifle from Stirewalt. The report said Phillips then sold the shotgun for $225.
Phillips was charged with felony breaking and entering and larceny after the fact, two counts of felony obtaining property by false pretenses and two counts of larceny of a firearm.