CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A group of teenagers charged in a string of break-ins in south Charlotte is still in jail tonight while police look for evidence to tie them to more cases.
The six are all 16 or 17 years old, and police say that among them, they're responsible for at least 10 break-ins during December, including five on New Year's Eve while people were at work or away from home running errands.
"I turned in my driveway and I saw my front door open and shut ... I called 9-1-1 and saw four suspects run out of my house and get into a car," said April Pfab, who lives near South Boulevard and Woodlawn Road.
She was able to get a tag number for the car and give it to police.
"...which led officers later that evening to find that vehicle later that evening and get it stopped," said Lt. Todd Lontz.
Lontz said detectives began to piece together that case and others and eventually identified 10 break-ins where those teenagers were allegedly involved.
Police have identified the teenagers as Steven Fonseca, 16, Brian Martinez, 17, Alex Vaca, 16, Merlin Fornels, 17, Felix Saldierna, 16, and Blanca Espinoza, 16.
Fonseca was in court for a bond hearing on Tuesday and April Pfab was there to make sure the judge heard her point of view.
"I know they usually reduce bonds in those hearings and I just wanted to stand up and just make a statement on how it affects me ... how it affects the community," Pfab says.
The judge did reduce Fonseca's bonds by a total of $30,000, but he is still in jail with at least $35,000 in bonds still on the books.
WSOC
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