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18-year-old arrested in connection with string of Rowan Co. car break-ins

Officials said Anthony Mason Cunningham was taken into custody Friday and charged with 17 felony counts of breaking and entering of a motor vehicle, two felony counts of larceny and one felony count of larceny of a firearm.

ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — An 18-year-old man has been arrested in connection with several car break-ins that happened over the past month in Rowan County, officials said Monday.

Officials with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office said Anthony Mason Cunningham was taken into custody Friday and charged with 17 felony counts of breaking and entering of a motor vehicle, two felony counts of larceny and one felony count of larceny of a firearm.

Police said they began investigating multiple car break-ins Jan. 10 in the area of Mt. Hope Church Road and North Carolina Highway 152 East, between Rockwell and China Grove.

Officials said the incidents happened at night and appeared to involve one suspect.

Police said they received several reports of similar crimes over the following two weeks. Authorities said residents told them that they woke up in the morning to find that their cars had been broken into and that items including purses, wallets, money, tools, clothing, backpacks and firearms were stolen.

Detectives said they followed several leads in the cases and identified Cunningham as a person of interest.

A warrant was obtained for Cunningham’s residence on French Lane in Salisbury, police said, and evidence was found linking him to the recent vehicle break-ins.

Investigators said they were familiar with Cunningham due to his 2017 arrest in connection with similar crimes in the Spencer area.

Cunningham was arrested and charged on those 2017 cases, police said, but was given a probationary sentence and released by the court.

Cunningham has been placed in jail under a $50,000 secured bond. Police said more charges against him could be possible.

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