Pair arrested on slew of burglary charges
Snowbird – A local man and woman are both behind bars and facing a bevy of charges, after allegedly stealing a hoard of items from several addresses along Sunday Branch Road, Mission Road and Little Snowbird Road in Graham County.
On the evening of Nov. 24, deputies with the Graham County Sheriff’s Office were called to a residence in the Little Snowbird area, after the homeowner reported seeing people on his security camera. As deputies arrived to the scene, they saw a man and a woman matching the descriptions given by the homeowner ride by on an ATV at a high rate of speed. The deputies gave chase until the suspects reached a dead end and ran into a wooded area. Both were apprehended soon after.
The suspects were identified as 32-year-old Hunter Adam Welch and 32-year-old Chelsea Lauren Jordan, both of 300 Ravens Nest.
Both suspects face numerous charges from several alleged thefts taking place over the past few months, with many taking place on the night of their capture.
Welch’s charges include seven counts of felony breaking and entering, seven counts of felony larceny after breaking and entering, eight counts of larceny of a firearm, seven counts of conspiracy to commit breaking and entering, felony possession of burglary tools, felony fleeing to elude, six counts of misdemeanor injury to property and four counts of misdemeanor first degree trespassing. His bond was set at $190,000.
While Jordan faces a few less charges than Welch, her list is substantial and includes six counts of felony breaking and entering, six counts of felony larceny after breaking and entering, seven counts of conspiracy to commit breaking and entering, felony possession of burglary tools, felony fleeing to elude, six counts of misdemeanor injury to property and four counts of misdemeanor first degree trespassing. Her bond was set at $145,000.
Some of the items allegedly stolen included a Honda ATV, liquor (from two locations), fishing lures, a security camera, tools (including two Stihl chainsaws, a weed eater, an air compressor, an axe, a table saw, garden tools, painting equipment and others), two Swiss army knives, hunting knives, fireworks, a hard drive, a 55-inch Samsung flatscreen TV and approximately nine firearms.
The alleged burglary tools the pair were caught with included two crowbars and a pair of bolt cutters.
Both Welch and Jordan are scheduled to appear in court on Monday.