Recently in Crime Category

Eleven major airports will begin using body scanners to screen passengers as the Transportation Security Administration launches a plan to buy 1,000 of the machines over the next two years.The scanners can look under passengers' clothing in order to detect weapons and explosives. Boston Logan International Airport received one new scanner this week and will get two more next week. All will go into the same terminal. Among the other airports getting the scanners are Los Angeles International, Chicago O'Hare and Charlotte Douglas International.

The Mount Airy Police Department is looking for the person who painted a statue of Andy Griffith. The suspect painted Sheriff Andy Taylor's hair green and part of his face and badge red. The Asheville Citizen Times reports authorities believe the statue was vandalized Sunday night. Anyone with information about this crime should all Mount Airy Crimestoppers at (336) 786-4000.

Several businesses and private companies have been telling residents that they will remove downed trees from their property after the Christmas Day ice storm.  Captain Jim Wilson of the Boone Police Department has a few tips for residents who may feel uneasy about someone offering to remove debris from their property. Captain Wilson said it's a good idea for residents to ask for identification and avoid payment before the work is completed.  Wilson also wants to tell residents not to get distracted if two or more people come to your residence and not to let anyone walk around your home or property unattended. Captain Wilson said anyone who feels uncomfortable with the company or person soliciting work can call the Boone Police Department and they will come to your home and check their credentials.

The White House is pushing back on a report suggesting that the U.S. government learned details about the suspect in the botched Christmas Day terrorist attack while he was in the air. The Los Angeles Times published a report Wednesday saying that U.S. border security officials became aware of the suspect's alleged extremist ties while he was en route from Amsterdam to Detroit. There were bits and pieces of information available in a variety of areas in the system prior to December 25. An administration official said there was no new information that emerged when the plane was in the air. The White House on Thursday plans to release an unclassified report by John Brennan, the assistant to the president on homeland security and counterterrorism, detailing what went wrong. Obama will make a statement after the review is released. White House national security adviser James Jones told USA Today that Americans will feel "a certain shock" after reading Thursday's report on the missed warning signs.

Watauga County authorities are looking for the person or people who broke into Laurel Springs Baptist Church. According to April Gunter of the Boone Police Department, the breaking is believed to have occurred sometime between 1:00 Sunday afternoon and 2:15 Monday afternoon. The suspect or suspects reportedly took a safe that contained multiple unnamed items and caused damage to the property. Anyone who has information about this crime should contact High Country Crimestoppers' Watauga County office at 268-6959. As always, Crimestoppers pays rewards for information that leads to arrests or the recovery of stolen property.

The latest traffic patrol initiative put on by state officials, Operation Slow Down/No Need 2 Speed, produced over 83,000 traffic and criminal citations statewide. According to Governor Bev Perdue, the latest wave of stepped up patrols ran from November 16-29.
Most of the citations were speeding tickets, as over 31,700 speeding citations were issued during the two-week campaign. Officers also issued nearly 5,000 safety belt and over 870 child passenger safety violations.  The campaign also yielded over 1,400 drug charges, 98 stolen vehicles, and authorities nabbed 615 fugitives from justice.

High Country Crimestoppers released a report Tuesday in regard to the missing Seven Devils woman. 41-year-old Deana Elizabeth Schermerhorn was last seen by family members on November 8 at her residence in Seven Devils.  Schermerhorn may be in the company of 27-year-old Christopher Warren Meade. They could be driving a 1999 burgundy Oldsmobile Bravada, four-door SUV. Schermerhorn stands about 5'2" tall, blonde hair, blue eyes, and of slim build.  Meade is described as about 5'7" tall, brown hair, brown eyes with possible facial hair. Seven Devils authorities issued a statement saying several area authorities conducted an extensive search in Seven Devils on Friday, but didn't find anything.  Authorities fear Schermerhorn may be deceased. Anyone who gives tips on Schermerhorn's whereabouts could be eligible to receive reward money.  Residents with information about Schermerhorn can call High Country Crimestoppers' Watauga County office at (828) 268-6959.

MISSING

Boone Police arrested a 19-year-old on breaking and entering charges after receiving several reports on Sunday morning. Sergeant Matt Stevens of the Boone P.D. said Kevin Curtis Link is believed to have stolen candy and snacks from the Wilco gas station on East King Street just after 12:00 a.m. on Sunday.  Link is also alleged to have broken the front door at the gas station and broken into several vehicles at the Mountaineer Village apartment complex on Yosef Drive. Link was charged with one felony count of breaking and entering, four felony counts of breaking into vehicles, one felony count of larceny after breaking into vehicles, and one count of misdemeanor larceny. He is being held under a $20,000 bond and will appear in court on January 7.

Authorities are looking for the driver involved in a hit-and-run around 3:00 this morning in Alexander County. A person was hit while walking along Old Mountain Road at Smith Farm Road.  The unnamed victim reportedly has life-threatening injuries and has been taken to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. NC State Troopers reported that the vehicle involved in the hit-and-run would have damage to the left front side and broken glass. Anyone who spots this vehicle should call the NC Highway Patrol by dialing *HP from their cell phone.

The Boone Police Department charged a suspect in the shooting death of a 20-year-old ASU student. Detective Glen Kornhauser said 20-year-old Galen Elijah Ruble is in custody and has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. Ruble is being held under a $10,000 bond and will appear in court on December 15. As previously reported, 20-year-old Jay Franklin Derby's death has been officially ruled accidental.  Detective Kornhauser said investigators confirmed earlier suspicions that the shooting was an accident. Kornhauser said Boone Police received a call around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday in regard to a gunshot victim at App South apartments on Faculty Street. Authorities arrived to find Derby suffering from a fatal injury. Detective Kornhauser said several witnesses were at the apartment at the time of the incident.  A black powder, single-shot hunting rifle was used in the shooting. Kornhauser said Ruble brought out the rifle and attempted to discharge a percussion cap in Derby's direction to frighten those in attendance when the gun went off. Detective Kornhauser said there was no malicious intent involved with the shooting and Ruble is believed to have simply used poor judgment, which resulted in the death of a friend.