LPD CATCHES BURGLAR ATTEMPTING BREAK-IN

A joint stakeout with the Leland Police Department's investigations and vice/narcotics departments resulted in the arrest of James Long of 9084 Cricket Court, Leland, in the act of attempting to break into a local business.


On the night of November 5th around 11:30 PM, Long and his accomplices were observed attempting to gain entry into the Gentle Nails Salon located on Reed Road.  The suspects were also caught with several breaking and entering tools including a crowbar and bolt cutters.


Long, who has an extensive criminal record including DWI, forgery, drug possession and other breaking and entering, was transported to the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office and placed under a $10,000 secure bond.


Long is also a person of interest involving several other commercial break-ins in Leland.

HOLIDAY CRIME PREVENTION TIPS

The rush and good will that surround the holidays can increase the opportunities for criminal activity.  The Leland Police Department suggests these simple tips to assist you in having a safe and happy holiday season.

WHEN SHOPPING

Be ALERT and AWARE of your surroundings.  Pay attention to who is around you.  Don't leave the safety of a building or your vehicle until you have ensured it is safe.  Trust your instincts; if you feel uncomfortable with a place or person(s), get away.

Park in a well-lit area.

Remember to LOCK your vehicle!! Keep vehicle doors and windows locked while you are inside and especially when you are not!  A thief is looking for easy targets and anything you can do to deter them from choosing your car, the better.

Minimize the number of valuables left in your vehicle and keep valuables, electronics (including cell phones, laptops and DVDs) gifts and other "theft attractors" out of sight.

Protect your purse or wallet and clean our any unnecessary items before leaving home.  Don't carry large amounts of cash or extra credit cards.  Carry only those cards that you will need to use that day.  Keep a master list of all cards so if your wallet is stolen, they can be reported promptly to the appropriate banking facility.

* Never leave your purse, wallet or cell phone unattended in a public place.

* Don't overburden yourself with packages while shopping.

* Shop with a friend; their is safety in numbers.

* Role-play with children about what should happen in the event you are seperated.

* Have your keys out and ready when you return to your vehicle.

Do not leave your car unattended with the motor running or with the keys in the ignition; even for the very short time needed to do a quick errand or pay for fuel.

Only make online purchases from trusted, secure websites.  Look for "https" in the web address to verify security.

AT HOME

Make sure all doors & windows have secondary locks (window pins, deadbolts, dowels, etc.) and use them!

Ensure the dark areas and entrances have outdoor lights that are turned on after dark or are activated by sensors.

Place gifts where they can't be seen from the outside.

Avoid opening the door to strangers.  Legitimate delivery people will be able to show identification.

Investigate charities before donating by call the Secretary of State's office or the charity's main office.

Be sure to mail cards with money, checks or gift certificates from the Post Office or a blue US Postal Service collection box.

If travelling, use timers for lights and radios while you're away.  Ask a trusted friend, neighbor or Block Watch member to watch your home.  Make arrangements for mail and newspapers.

WHEN DRIVING

Recognize that the holidays can cause stress; keep emotions under control while driving.  Give other drivers plenty of space and always leave yourself a route to avoid an accident.

If you attend parties where alcohol is served, remember to use a designated driver.

Prepare for winter driving conditions and equip your vehicle with cold weather emergency supplies.

Minimize distractions such as talking on a cell phone.

Take frequent breaks to avoid fatigue, especially when driving long distances.  If you get tired, stop and rest until you're able to drive with full attention.

Buckle up!! That means passengers and kids, too!!

Be patient!  Give yourself extra time for travel, especially in snow or rain.

Even in dry conditions, traffic during the holidays is heavier than normal, and it will take longer than you expect to get around.

AFTER THE HOLIDAYS

Pay close attention to bills and report any unauthorized charges.

Photograph and record the serial numbers of new items and add them to your inventory.

HERE'S WISHING YOU A SAFE AND CRIME-FREE HOLIDAY SEASON!!

Leland PD Routs Fire Department 27 - 5 in Annual Charity Softball Game

On Saturday, November 21^st, the Leland Police Department took on the Leland Fire Department in their 4^th annual charity softball game to benefit the Leland Santa Cop/Toys-For-Tots Toy Drive.


The game was dedicated to Wilmington Police Officer Richard Mathews who tragically lost his life this year in the line of duty.  Dennis Mathews, the father of Officer Mathews, was in attendance and threw out the first pitch.  Wilmington Police Deputy Chief Conklin and several other WPD officers were in attendance, along with Town Councilwoman Brenda Boseman and Leland Police Chief Tim Jayne.


The teams appeared evenly matched after the first inning with the score tied at 1 but LPD quickly pulled ahead and scored 26 additional runs to the Fire Departments 5 runs.  Notable performers included Rick DellaPia and Josh Spence, who went 3 for 4 and John Holman and Jonathan Hall, both hitting triples in the game.  Michael Landen was given the MVP award for going 4 for 4 and, in particular, for his defensive talent displayed in the outfield which included a spectacular diving catch for an out made during the sixth inning.


Though this was the 4th year the Leland Police Department beat the Fire Department, it was for a good cause, collecting 60 plus toys and over a hundred dollars for the charity.  It was also another opportunity for emergency responders to get together and enjoy a spirited game and camaraderie.


Special thanks are extended to Sgt Tom Tilman (WPD) for his solo bag pipe performance of Amazing Graze dedicated to Officer Mathews, TC Melton (Wal-Mart) for singing the National Anthem, Chaplain Ann Gordon (LPD) for the opening prayer and the United States Marine Corps for the presentation of the colors.  Also, grateful acknowledgment is given to Hailey Winslow (WWAY) as MC, DSS for helping with food sales and the other numerous volunteers from the police and fire Departments, their spouses and Marines from Camp Lejune.


(Photographs courtesy James Bullock) 

Officers Receive Commendations in Residential Shooting Incident

The Leland Town Council took time at the November 19th Town Council Meeting to recognize Officers Ronald Clarke, Anthony Nathan and, Sergeant Hank Smith (L-R)  for actions they took involving an individual shooting into a residence occupied by four people, including a one year old child.

On November 15th, Robin Ganey and some of the occupants of the house had been out drinking but, when they got back to the house on Village Road, had begun to argue; an argument that became physical.  When Ganey left to go home, he stated he would return with his gun but was not taken seriously.  However, around 6:30 AM, Mr. Ganey did return with a loaded semi-automatic rifle, forced his way into the house, fought with one of the residents then opened fire with his weapon.  Though no-one was hurt in the shooting, there was substantial property damage which included property in the residence and outside the house, property belonging to neighbors who were awoken by the sounds of gunfire.

When Sgt Smith and Officer Nathan responded to a call of "shots fired" and a woman screaming, they initially surrounded the house in an attempt to locate the suspect.  While doing this, Officer Nathan was stopped by a woman holding a baby and, while talking to her, saw Ganey in the front yard still armed with his rifle.  Ganey was ordered at gunpoint to put his rifle down, which he did, but continued to approach Officer Nathan and Officer Clarke, in an aggressive manner, demanding they shoot him.  It was at this moment that the officers made the decision to draw their Tasers and incapacitate Ganey rather then fatally injure him.  Ganey was subdued and detained without further incident.

It is this action that demonstrated both the training and professionalism that bring credit to the men and women of the Leland Police Department.

Mr. Ganey is facing several felony charges related to this incident.

Former New Hanover Sheriff's Deputy Arrested in Domestic Assault

Nick Dillon, who was involved in a domestic assault of his estranged wife in Leland Sunday morning, was arrested this afternoon by New Hanover County Sheriff's Deputies.

For more information, click on the link below from Channel 14 or the news feeds located on this blog under local news.

http://news14.com/coastal-news-110-content/top_stories/617631/search-on-for-deputy-accused-of-assaulting-estranged-wife

LPD Thwarts Break-Ins

On two separate occasions, Leland Police Officers prevented break-ins into two businesses located on the north end of Leland.

On November 3rd around 2 o'clock AM, Officer Sherry Lewis was performing routine patrol duties at the businesses on Reed Road when she came upon an individual attempting to break into TRO Tobacco.  The suspect fled upon seeing Officer Lewis but evidence was obtained that indicate he was attempting to gain forced entry into the business.

On November 4th around 3 o'clock AM, Officer's Christopher and Lewis responded to PC Solutions at 856 Village Road.  While conducting an initial check of the building, officers heard noises coming from behind the facility indicating a possible fleeing suspect.  Officer Irvin, who had also responded, conducted a sweep of the area where the noises had come from but did not locate a suspect. Fresh hand prints on the windows of the building indicated that there may have been someone recently at the business trying to gain entry.

Both incidents are being investigated by detectives.

Leland officer, K-9 recovering after accident

From WWAY on 29 October 2009 - 4:55pm.

A Leland police officer and his K-9 are recovering, after their patrol car was totaled Wednesday night.

Officer Jonathan Hall and his police canine were traveling on Highway 133 at Blackwell Road in Leland when the car was struck on the driver's side by another vehicle. His vehicle rolled over several times, hit a utility pole, and landed on its roof.

"It was a very serious accident,” said Leland Police Department’s Lt. Karl Smith. “One of the things that was a little bit different in this one, is it was a K-9 unit and the dog actually got out due to the impact. It forced open one of the doors and the dog actually got out of the vehicle. Luckily for us the officer was okay he had minor injuries, he was transported to the hospital and he was able to retrieve his dog and the dog was uninjured as well."

Officer Hall is recovering at home. His dog, Dak, spent the day at the vet. The other driver was treated and released at the scene.

The highway patrol is investigating.

Leland Police Department now on Nixel!

We have launched a new Community Information Service designed to deliver important and timely information to residents in our area using the latest technology. This service, Nixle, delivers trustworthy and important neighborhood-level public safety and community event notifications instantly sent to you by cell phone text message, email, and web. There is NO Spam or Advertising.


Nixle is completely free (standard text message rates apply for cell phone subscribers who do not have text plans with their cell phone providers). 


The service is simple to use, reliable and trusted. Register now then share this e-mail with friends and neighbors to spread the word!


Stay connected to your world, from the public safety alerts that are relevant to you, to the important neighborhood advisories you want to know about, and other valuable community information. You decide what information you want, and whether you want it sent to your cell phone, email, or just simply over the web.


We invite you to register at: http://local.nixle.com/leland-police-department/

** CRIME ALERT **

The Leland Police Department wants to make it's citizens aware of a slight increase in larcenies from motor vehicles during the month of September (13 up from 6 in August). All but two vehicles that have been broken into this year were left unlocked. To help prevent any further break-ins and thefts, the Leland Police Department is asking it's residents to take proactive measures by locking your vehicles and removing items such as GPS's, MP3 players, DVD players, laptops, wallets and purses. This "spike" only indicates a need to be aware to secure your property.

If you have any information concerning these break-ins, please contact the Leland Police Department's Investigation Section.