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Ex-con held in Raleigh break-ins
Police suspect the man, 36, in 73 burglaries near downtown and in West Raleigh over five months |
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By OREN DORELL, Staff Writer, N&O Not long after he got out of prison in March, Vernon Lee Brice moved into his sister's home in Chavis Heights and, according to police, started commuting across town for a new job -- breaking into houses and stealing whiskey, coin collections, car keys and jewelry.
Lynch said Brice would take the CAT bus or get a ride to Cameron Park in the evening and walk through the neighborhoods knocking on doors until he found no one home. He would then walk around back, kick in the door and steal things he could carry on his person, police said. Sometimes he would use a backpack found in the home to cart away larger objects. "He would steal jewelry, coin collections, coins around the house, electronics, cameras, clothing, alcohol, car keys and would try to steal the car if it was there," Lynch said. "He was successful in three or four cases in getting the car. Then he would use the car to get to more areas to commit more burglaries." Police realized soon enough that they were dealing with a pattern. Lynch said investigators considered Brice a suspect as early as August but were unable to collect enough evidence to make an arrest. After four burglaries that occurred in the past two weeks, however, Brice's name came up again. According to a probable cause affidavit for a search warrant filed this week, Brice's name came up after a cell phone was stolen Aug. 13 from a vehicle at 351 Forsyth St. Calls made on the cell phone within an hour of the crime were linked to Brice. Police also linked Brice to calls made with another cell phone, stolen Oct. 29 from 2504 Stafford Ave. And, according to the arrest warrant, an informant told police that Brice had boasted of "committing multiple burglaries by kicking in doors or entering unsecured residences and stealing items." Officers confronted Brice at his sister's home Wednesday about the calls made with the phone stolen in August. He admitted possessing the phone and knowing it was stolen but denied stealing it. In plain sight were jewelry and keys believed to be stolen, police wrote in the affidavit. Brice's sister later showed police several items in her apartment that she thought he obtained illegally, police wrote. Investigators seized three jewelry boxes, three watches, a set of keys and several items of jewelry and clothing. Lynch said Brice was "in a talkative mood" when investigators asked him to join them at police headquarters. In an interrogation that lasted a few hours, Lynch said, Brice told police he was tired of what he was doing and wanted help for an addiction to crack cocaine. He also rode with police around West Raleigh neighborhoods and provided information that, Lynch said, will help clear dozens of crimes. Lynch said investigators now plan to talk to every victim and show them photos of recovered goods. Keri Beth Hamlin of the 2200 block of Garden Place became a victim after heading out to celebrate on Halloween night. She lost jewelry, clothing, DVDs and a 1998 Honda Accord. When police recovered the car, with a 15-year-old suspect behind the wheel, it was "in pretty gross shape," she said. "Apparently, heavy drug use was done in the car," she said. Brice has an extensive criminal record. He was released from prison with a recommendation for work release from Umstead Correctional Center after serving a one-year sentence for receiving stolen goods. He has also served time for possessing stolen goods, breaking and entering, larceny, drug possession and prison escape, according to state Department of Correction records. Lee Folger, president of the Cameron Park Neighborhood Association, said a break-in occurred every four or five days in his neighborhood during a six-week period. Residents formed a neighborhood watch, followed and questioned suspicious people walking through the area and worked closely with district commander Capt. Dennis Poteat, Folger said. Although a suspect has been arrested, Folger said, "I don't think we can be less vigilant."
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