CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Police believe a man and woman broke into a number of vehicles in South Hills Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
Police arrested Melinda McCormick on a couple of outstanding warrants after spotting the couple, Chief of Detectives Lt. Steve Cooper said.
“Mrs. McCormick had some stolen property on her. One of which was a chainsaw and the other was a jigsaw power tool,” Cooper said.
Police initially released McCormick’s husband, Grayton McCormick, 36, because he had no personal property in his possession. Cooper said he gave police a false name. Now they want both in connection with the vehicle break-ins, Cooper said.
“Through an interview with her, (she said) the two of them had gone through South Hills overnight breaking into cars,” Cooper said.
The break-ins happened in the Bridge, Groscup and Oakmont areas and possibly other areas, according to Cooper.
Police will try to find as much of the stolen property as possible. Melinda McCormick has a lengthy pawn history, Cooper said.
“We’re going to track a lot of the property that she’s been pawning at these pawn shops and see if we can connect it to these past crimes locally,” Cooper said.
The McCormicks list their address with one of the homeless shelter.