Police make arrests in Brier Creek vehicle break-ins

Raleigh, N.C. — Raleigh police have charged five men in connection with a string of vehicle robberies in the Brier Creek area.

Thieves broke into 23 unlocked vehicles in the Brier Creek area on Jan. 5, police said. On Jan. 27, 12 unlocked vehicles in the same general area were broken into.

In the latter incident, an owner who had looked out and seen strangers around his car, drove around the neighborhood. He found a possible suspect vehicle and followed it until he reported seeing flashes coming from the vehicle and hearing what sounded like gunshots, police said. The victim was not injured.

Arrest warrants were obtained Wednesday charging Trey Preston Brown, 18, Scott Edward Eakes, 20, Stephen Winzell Edwards, 18, Townsend Corey Stanford,19, Russell Jamaeson Warren, 18, with one count each of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, 35 counts each of breaking and entering a motor vehicle, two counts each of felony larceny and 19 counts each of misdemeanor larceny, police said.

Police arrested Edwards, Stanford and Warren. They were being held Wednesday evening in the Wake County Jail.

Brown and Eakes were in custody at the Durham County Jail on charges stemming from a series of armed robberies, and arrangements were being made to serve them with the Wake arrest warrants there, police said.

Edwards is facing four additional counts of breaking and entering and four of misdemeanor larceny for vehicle break-ins on June 21 in Raleigh, police said.