By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
A Salisbury man was arrested and charged after authorities say he stole his wife’s poodle and cut the electrical cords to many of the appliances in her home over the weekend.
According to a Rowan County Sheriff’s Office report, Michael Wayne Burdette, 550 Ranchwood Drive, broke into his estranged wife’s home at 7195 Stokes Ferry Road sometime between Friday evening and early Saturday morning.
The report said Tracy Davis Burdette found the door to her home pried open Saturday morning. After investigating, Tracy Burdette found that the power cords to her refrigerator, washing machine, television and microwave had been cut.
Burdette’s poodle, Magic Dog, had also been taken, along with a 20-gauge shotgun, and there was also significant damage to the home’s plumbing.
According to the report, when authorities arrived, Tracy Burdette told Deputy Kevin Myers that she believed her husband “was most likely responsible.”
The woman also told Myers that her husband called her cell phone more than 50 times during the approximate time of the incident, the report said, and she received two additional phone calls from her husband while Myers investigated.
Myers instructed Tracy Burdette to answer the phone, after which the officer interjected and asked to meet Michael Burdette.
Michael Burdette told authorities they could meet him at his home on Ranchwood Drive.
When deputies arrived at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday morning, the report said, they heard barking inside the home, but the 44 year-old declined to allow officers to enter.
Michael Burdette told officers that his wife had given him the poodle as payment for a washing machine and dryer.
Burdette was arrested and charged with felony breaking and entering, felony larceny of a firearm, felony larceny of a dog, domestic criminal trespassing and harassing phone calls.
After searching Burdette’s home and vehicle, deputies found a pair of metal cutting tools and a cell phone. The report did not indicate if authorities found the missing shotgun.
Burdette was not given a bond and was still in jail as of Monday morning.