Community policing leads to four arrests in Supply break-in

SUPPLY—Four suspects were arrested last Thursday and charged with an early morning break-in at the Provision Co. restaurant near Holden Beach.

According to Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office detectives Capt. Gene Caison, an employee noticed a broken window, damaged items and a stolen flat screen TV when the employee went to work and reported the break-in.

Sheriff’s deputies conducting surveillance in the area noticed the suspects loading the TV in the back of a car and arrested the suspects after a traffic stop.

The surveillance was being done as part of the sheriff’s office community policing initiative, which targeted several other break-ins in the Supply area, Brunswick County Sheriff John Ingram said.

Community policing is different than normal police patrol, Ingram said.

“It’s targeting a specific activity. But it can be used in many ways,” he said.

Ingram re-implemented the community-policing program when he was named chief deputy in April. Ingram first initiated the program at the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office several years ago.

During the first year and a half of the community-policing program, crime rates dropped and drug arrests increased in the targeted communities, Ingram said.

“Also, during this period there was not a single homicide,” he added.

The investigation is ongoing and more charges are expected.

The following suspects were charged in connection with the break-in:

•Clinton Bruce Harrelson, 31, of 1308 Cedar Landing Road, Supply; charged with breaking and entering and felony larceny. Harrelson was in custody at the Brunswick County Detention Center in lieu of a $20,000 bond.

•Jessica Dawn Matthews, 25, of 2846 Peg Leg Lane, Supply; charged with possession of stolen property. Matthews was taken to the detention center and is under a $5,000 bond.

•Juan Santez Bellamy, 30, of 40 Middle River Road, Supply; charged with possession of stolen property. Bellamy was taken to the detention center and placed under a $5,000 bond.

•Tanya Renee Powers, 31, of 1308 Cedar Landing Road, Supply; charged with possession of stolen property. Powers was at the detention center under a $5,000 bond.