
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 4, 1991                   TAG: 9103040304
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A3   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: VICTORIA RATCLIFF STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

40 VEHICLES BROKEN INTO

At least 40 vehicles were broken into in North Roanoke County and southern Botetourt County over the weekend in what appeared to be related incidents, authorities said today.

The burglaries apparently began early Sunday morning in the Chester Avenue and Hunters Trail areas of North County, according to Lt. Steve Turner of the Roanoke County Police Department.

Today, residents of the North Lakes subdivision began reporting to police that vehicles in their neighborhood had been burglarized early this morning, Turner said.

As of this morning, Roanoke County authorities had received at least 30 reports of break-ins, he said.

All of the cars were burglarized in residential areas and most occurred in groups at addresses close to one another, Turner said.

The burglars entered the cars by either prying open doors or using a "slim jim" type instrument to raise the door locks, he said. In some cases the doors of the cars had been unlocked to begin with.

The burglars primarily stole items lying in the cars, such as a rifle and a VCR, Turner said. In a few cases, the burglars tried to take stereos out of the cars.

A car that was stolen in Roanoke County early Sunday morning was recovered later in the day in Botetourt County, Turner said.

Botetourt County Sheriff Norman Sprinkle said today that the car was found in the Apple Tree Village section of the county. A number of items stolen from cars in Roanoke County were found in the car, he said.

Nine vehicles in Apple Tree Village were broken into early Sunday morning, Sprinkle said.

In those burglaries, the only items taken were items lying loose in the cars or in the glove compartments, Sprinkle said. In a couple cases, the cars simply were ransacked and nothing was taken, he said.

The burglaries in both counties are "definitely connected," Sprinkle said. "They started in Roanoke County and worked their way on down to Botetourt," he said.

Authorities say they have no suspects in the burglaries. Turner said none of the Roanoke County victims saw or heard anything.

by CNB