Local

Police: Pair shot into Rent-A-Center, tried to steal TVs before crashing

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — Police in Kannapolis arrested a man and a teenager after they said the pair fired shots into a Rent-A-Center before trying to steal televisions and leading officers on separate chases before eventually crashing.

Authorities said it all started as a break-in at the Rent-A-Center on South Cannon Boulevard around 2 a.m., and only Eyewitness News was there while police investigated.

[IMAGES: Burglars shoot into Kannapolis Rent-A-Center]

Investigators said that witnesses observed the pair, 20-year-old Willie Anthony and 16-year-old Jamarqua Davis, fire several shots into the glass door of the Rent-A-Center. When officers arrived, they saw the suspects trying to load a TV into a car.

some text

(Willie Anthony)

(Jamarqua Davis)

Police said that the pair then split up, getting into separate vehicles and that they actually collided with each other as they fled the parking lot.

Police discovered that the two cars driven by the suspects were stolen from China Grove.

Both cars were involved in different crashes a short distance from the Rent-A-Center, and were captured quickly as they tried to run away.

Two people at the Cookout restaurant across the street from the Rent-A-Center said they called police after hearing gunshots and seeing the burglars fire shots at the store's door.

The owner of the store told Channel 9 that the two suspects fired nine shots through the front door in an attempt to break the glass. She said the business next door was targeted by burglars just three days earlier.

Anthony was charged with breaking and entering, felony larceny, possession of stolen vehicle, possession of stolen firearm, resisting arrest, hit-and-run, felony flee to elude and no operator’s license.

Davis was charged with breaking and entering, felony larceny, possession of stolen vehicle, possession of marijuana, injury to real property, resisting arrest, hit-and-run, fail to heed blue lights/siren and no operator’s license.

The manager of the Sprint Store said the store had been targeted four times between November and January.

He said most of the time it was young teens who would cut wires to steal cell phones, and stuff them into their backpacks.

Business owners in the area posted, "We are open" signs up on boarded windows after they said more teens have been targeting their stores.

“I have a security camera right there and I’ve seen them a couple of times,” Francisco Varela said.

Varela works at a family-run grocery store right next to the Rent-A-Center that was robbed.

Rent-A-Center employees said nine shots went through the front door.

“You have family in there, it's a family ran business,” Varela said. “But I feel pretty safe in the area with police and everything.”

Valera said he's seen more police patrolling the shopping center at night after the owner of a nearby store said her business was hit four times, mostly by young children, between November and January.

The most recent crime was last Monday.

“They got in there with a book bag and they cut up phones in the actual display case and they just take them,”

Jennifer Plaster is the executive director at The Conflict Resolution Center of Cabarrus County. She said her nonprofit tries to help teens who commit first offenses.

She takes references from school resource officers and city police.

“It really gives them the change to maybe in the future make different choices,” Plaster said.

In 2016, 191 teens aged 10-17 were enrolled in the Teen Court Program.

At the end of the course, 98 percent of those teens did not commit another crime.

“Hopefully the system works out for them and they come out better,” Varela said.

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:

Cox Media Group

0

Most Read