PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
June 22, 2014
Southern Pines Police Department
Announces:
Vandalism and Larceny Investigation
The Southern Pines Police Department is presently conducting a vandalism and larceny investigation which occurred Sunday June 22, 2014, at both 1:30 am and 2:23 am. These incidents occurred in front of 181 NE Broad Street, Southern Pines, NC. At 1:30 am, a “Golf Ball Art Statue” was vandalized when it was torn from its mounting and tipped over. At 2:32 am on June 22, 2014, the “Golf Ball Art Statue” was stolen. The downtown art display was a project launched by the Southern Pines Rotary Club where proceeds from the art benefited the Southern Pines Rotary Foundation, which makes donations to charities that focus on children, education and health care. The stolen art was designed and sponsored by the Southern Pines Boys and Girls Club.
In the first incident at 1:30 am, a white female is observed tearing the statue from the mounting and knocking the statue over to its side. Two white males and one white female stood by as the vandalism occurred. All four individuals departed together.
At 2:32 am, two white males and two white females traveling from E. New Hampshire onto NE Broad Street approached the statue. The two males picked up the statue and were last observed traveling south on NE Broad Street. The two females were observed running south on NE Broad Street as well.
Both incidents were recorded on video and still photographs can be observed on the Southern Pines Police Department’s Facebook page located at https://www.facebook.com/TOSP.PD. The Southern Pines Police Department continues to follow up on additional promising investigatory leads but any assistance by the community in identifying the eight individuals in the still photographs would be beneficial in accelerating these investigations. In the event the investigation determines that all eight individuals acted in concert, and probable cause exists, all eight individuals will be appropriately charged. Please contact the Southern Pines Police Department at 910-692-7031 or anonymously at 910-693-4110 if you can provide any information about the identity of the individuals in these incidents. The Southern Pines Police Department is encouraging the participants in these crimes to come forward and present themselves to the Southern Pines Police Department, 450 W. Pennsylvania Avenue in addition to returning the stolen artwork to its rightful owners, the children of the Southern Pines Boys and Girls Club.
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Contact: Captain Charles Campbell
910-692-2732
