SILER CITY, N.C. — Two men were arrested early Thursday morning for stealing beer and cigarettes when a police officer noticed them driving without the vehicle's headlights on.

Kevin Mahaley, 31, of, Burlington, and William Nunley, 18, of, Siler City were arrested after a Siler City police officer stopped their vehicle on westbound N.C. Highway 64 when he noticed it traveling without headlights.

The officer observed beer and cigarettes in the vehicle during the stop and contacted Chatham County sheriff's deputies, who earlier alerted law enforcement agencies about the break-in at Silk Hope Store. The owner of the store had reported assorted beer and cigarettes being stolen.

Mahaley and Nunley confessed to the breaking-and-entering after a sheriff's deputy responded to the police officer's call.

Mahaley was arrested for felonious breaking, entering and larceny, injury to personal property and driving while impaired. Nunley was charged with felonious breaking, entering and larceny and injury to personal property.

Mahaley was jailed under a $27,500.00 secured bond and Nunley was jailed under a $22,000.00 secured bond. Both are scheduled to appear in Chatham County District Court in Pittsboro on March 22.