TRADE OR SALE, CRACK DOMINATES

SHELBY - "It's got to be one of the greatest tools the devil has ever
come up with."

His jeans and sky-blue jacket cover much of his body but can't hide
his skeleton frame. He used to be a minister and insurance salesman,
but those days are behind him. Now, he sees himself as nothing more
than a crack addict.

"John," as he's referred to in the 2004 videotaped interview conducted
by Lt. Joel Shores of the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office, knows all
about the crack cocaine scene in the county. He can name nine sites in
South Shelby alone where he's obtained the drug. And he's seen
first-hand the lengths addicts will go to get a fix, from stealing to
prostitution.

John agrees wholeheartedly that it's accurate to say 80 to 85 percent
of the breaking-and-enterings in the county are drug-related, where
addicts sell stolen items to pawn shops for drug money or trade them
directly with dealers for their drug of choice.

Why else, he asks, would someone risk jail time to steal food or
clothing when there are places in the county to feed and clothe the
needy?

Two years have passed since that interview but Shores believes the
drug scene is largely the same, though somewhat improved due to recent
federal investigations.

He said items traded for crack cocaine and methamphetamine in the
county vary from large to small: TVs to chainsaws, jewelry to coin
collections, and paper food stamps to pressure washers.

Shelby Police Lt. Tim Walker said a lot of shoplifting within the city
limits can be tied to the drug trade as well, even when it comes to
grocery stores.

"There are very few drug dealers that don't have a very good supply of
meat," Walker said.

He said it's not uncommon for addicts to trade a stereo or power drill
valued at $300 for two to three rocks of crack, that have a street
value of no more than $60. The addicts don't mind, as long as they get
their drugs.

Walker said the street value of stolen items is dependent on the
specific dealer and his tastes. If he needs a TV, he'll trade well for
it. If he already has a few, the deal will be even less in the
addict's favor.

"For trade and sale, crack dominates" the drug trade in Shelby, he
said. "We're not seeing meth on the street corners. It's not an
open-air drug market yet."

Walker said the items he sees most connected to drug trade are
smaller, hand-held valuables such as cell phones, DVD movies, cameras
and guns.

How to protect your items

- - When you leave valuables in your car, be sure to hide them,
preferably in the trunk.

"A trunk makes a really good safe," said Shelby Police Lt. Tim
Walker.

If you leave items in plain view, someone could easily smash the
window and grab them. This is especially important to remember while
out shopping.

- - Carefully secure all valuables left outside with locks, including
lawnmowers and bicycles.

- - Keep records of all serial numbers on your valuables. Many
breaking-and-enterings occur in the county but few owners take the
time to write down the numbers specific to their items. This
information can be used to return the valuables to the owner in the
event they are found.

Cleveland County Sheriff's Lt. Joel Shores said he's conducted several
drug house raids and has come upon "numerous, numerous TVs and saws"
at the homes that he believes were stolen.

"We know they're stolen but we can't prove it" without having the
serial numbers on file, he said.

"Anything with a serial number is basically traceable," Walker
said.

If you see drug activity in your neighborhood, call the RAP (Report a
Pusher) Anonymous Hotline at (704) 484-8614.

One person's account

Though there is no way to determine if this break-in was drug related,
here is one person's story:

Sandy Short remembers the early morning hours of June 27, when she and
Randy Jackson returned to Jackson's home, at 1657 N. Lafayette St.
Apt. 3.

She said she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary until she
looked down and saw that Jackson's Playstation II console and three
games were missing.

"Randy, your Playstation and your games are gone," she
said.

He thought she was lying until he checked for himself. Moments later,
Ms. Short noticed two of her checks had been removed from her checkbook.

"I still don't know where they're at," she said.

While there were no signs of forced entry that night, Ms. Short said
there were several occasions where the back door appeared to have been
disturbed.

She doesn't know who was behind the theft but believes those
responsible should be brought to justice.

"They should be taken into custody," she said.