Three Washington men have been charged with more than 20 felony counts of motor vehicle breaking and entering by the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington Police Department. More charges are anticipated from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. In most cases, the targeted vehicles were unlocked.

“This year, we have seen a huge increase in vehicle break-ins, and we’ve made several arrests, not just this one,” said PCSO Public Information Officer Sgt. Lee Darnell. “One of the biggest things, we’ve been trying to have an aggressive campaign to let people know to lock their doors. So many of the cases involved vehicles that were unlocked.”

This past week, the PCSO charged Thaddeus Maurice Wallace, Jr., 22, Trevelleria Dewan Carter, 18, and Dytavias Wooden, 19, all of Washington, with the following in Pitt County:

• Four felony counts of first-degree burglary;
• Two felony counts of attempted first degree burglary;
• 19 felony counts of motor vehicle breaking and entering;
• Four felony counts of larceny after breaking and entering;
• One felony count of obtaining property by false pretense;
• One felony count of identity theft;
• Two felony counts of financial card theft, financial card theft;
• Seven counts of misdemeanor larceny;
• Three misdemeanor counts of attempted motor vehicle breaking and entering;
• Three misdemeanor counts of injury to personal property;
• One misdemeanor count of attempted larceny.

In Washington, Police and Fire Services Director Stacy Drakeford says Wallace and Carter have each been charged with two counts of motor vehicle breaking and entering, two counts of attempted motor vehicle breaking and entering and one count of misdemeanor larceny. Drakeford said these charges were related to a string of break-ins in the Smallwood and Slatestone Hills neighborhoods.

In addition to these charges, BCSO Lt. Jim Vanlandingham says the three men, along with two unnamed suspects, will also be charged in relation to more than 30 vehicle break-ins in communities throughout the county, including Bath, Cypress Landing, Tranters Run, Tranters Creek and River Birch.

From all three agencies, the BCSO, WPD and the PCSO, the message is one that has been repeated often — lock your doors and secure your valuables.

“Vehicle break-ins are a crime of opportunity,” Darnell said. “People look for a quick and easy in-and-out, and just by locking the doors, that typically keeps you from being a victim.”

Wallace, Carter and Wooden are being held in the Pitt County Detention Center. The bonds for Wallace and Carter are each set at $750,000, while Wooden is being held on a $1,000,000 bond. According to Darnell, the investigation in Pitt County is ongoing and more charges may be forthcoming.