Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrested four people Tuesday on suspicion of breaking into a string of mobile phone stores and stealing merchandise.
Three of the suspects — Qdarius Hamer, 20, Jamie Lewis, 18, Jeremy Thrasher, 16, – are accused of collectively breaking into six stores between July 4 and July 10 and stealing cell phones. A fourth suspect — Melissa Arrington, 31 – is accused of being in possession of stolen property.
Police began monitoring the suspects after noticing a “a specific crew” doing a “specific crime,” said Lt. Brian Sanders of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Sanders said criminals sometimes target mobile phone stores because mobile phones are highly valued. He also said mobile phone stores often have no metal bars covering windows and doors.
“This is the type of crime they turned to…” he said. “The good news is we’re on to it.”
Police identified the targeted stores as:
A Cricket store in the 9000 block of Albemarle Road
An AT&T store in the 7200 block of Independence Blvd
A Verizon store in the 7100 block of Independence Blvd
A Sprint store in the 5300 block of Ballantyne Commons Parkway.
A T-Mobile stores in the 9000 block of Albemarle Road and another in the 1800 block of N. Sardis Road.
Hamer was charged with seven counts of felony breaking and entering and larceny and six counts of felony conspiracy.
Lewis and Thrasher were each charged with six counts of felony breaking and entering, larceny and conspiracy.
Arrington was charged with one count of possession of stolen goods.
