Deployed soldier's home ransacked by childhood friend
After nearly a month on the run, a man faces felony charges for allegedly breaking into the home of his childhood friend deployed in Afghanistan and stealing thousands of dollars in property.
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Deputies in Halifax County received a report of the break-in on Elwyn Drive on Oct. 18. Jeff Foley says his son, CWO2 Brad Foley, flies Apache helicopters and is deployed with the North Carolina National Guard.
During a routine check of his son's house, Foley says he noticed a trailer missing from the backyard. The discovery led to a door and window cracked open.
The inside was ransacked.
"A lot of people are shocked," said Foley. "Nothing ever happens here. It's just a quiet community with very good neighbors."
A couch, TV, .22-caliber rifle, a pricey guitar collection, U.S. Army fatigues and equipment and more than $1,000 in flooring was lifted in the heist.
Foley's daughter, Laura Long, says she spotted some of the $10,000 in stolen items listed for sale on Facebook that same day by Robert Duane Harris. Harris is a childhood friend of her brother, Brad Foley.
Deputies arrested Harris, 30, nearly a month later on Nov. 13 and charged him with felony breaking and entering, possession of stolen goods and five counts of obtaining property by false pretenses.
Long, who believes the burglary happened over several days, says Harris messaged her brother just days before the heist asking if he needed help with home repairs. Her brother declined the help.
"It's very hurtful to know my brother has risked so much and put his life on the line to be over there, and while he's fighting for our freedom someone has gone behind his back to steal his belongings in his home," said Long, who can only communicate with her brother on Facebook.
"He's especially ready to get home now," she said.
Most of the items were recovered in pawn shops and thrift stores, according to Foley, who says he's learned a hard lesson to better protect his property.
Foley says he'll likely be installing surveillance cameras around the house and alerting neighbors to the situation.
He hopes Harris also learns a lesson: "Try to look at the good side of life and put the same effort into educating yourself and get a job."
Foley is expected home from Afghanistan in February.
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