By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Two people were in jail Friday after a tipster called and prevented a break-in at a Statesville Boulevard business.

Salisbury police charged Nicole Louise Coursey, 30, of the 700 block of West Horah Street, Apartment 3, with felony possession of burglary tools and outstanding warrants for misdemeanor larceny and habitual larceny. She was in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $32,500 secured bond.

Benjamin Hawthorne, 51, of the 600 block of West Horah Street, was charged with felony possession of burglary tools. He was in the jail under a $10,000 secured bond.

Someone called police to say they saw two men at Aaron’s, 2141 Statesville Blvd., Suite C, and it appeared they were going to break in. The caller said a vehicle had its license plate covered with a T-shirt.

Police arrived about 12:30 a.m. and noted there was no sign of forced entry into the building, but two people were sitting in a white compact van. According to the police report, one of them was a woman whom police recognized.

Police found Coursey with a flashlight, a pry bar and gloves on the floorboard of the van.

Hawthorne has been convicted of larceny, assault on a female, drug offenses, felony breaking and entering vehicles, attempted second-degree rape, failing to register as a sex offender, receiving stolen goods and other offenses.

Coursey has 18 pending court cases spanning Rowan, Davidson, Iredell and Davie counties. They involve breaking and entering and being a habitual felon.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-5253.