Full Notification

 
                                      Media Release
 
In the early morning hours of Thursday October 22, 2021, information was received by Morganton Department of Public Safety, concerning a suspicious U Haul truck seen at their local Wal-Mart. The suspected vehicle was occupied by two black males, who had committed a larceny of vehicle batteries.
 
At approximately 6:20 AM, Marion Police Officer Ethan Laplante was in the area of Marion Wal-Mart located at 2875 Sugar Hill Rd, to perform a property check. Officer Laplante observed a U Haul truck at the rear of the building, which was occupied by one black male, and observed a second black male loading items into the rear of the truck.
 
As Officer Laplante was driving around the building a second time, to speak with the person(s), the vehicle had driven away. Officer Laplante observed the vehicle travelling through the parking lot of Wal-Mart in the direction of Dollar Tree.
 
Officer Laplante initiated a traffic stop on the U Haul truck at the entrance to the West Marion Business Park. Located inside the vehicle was Hassan Ibrahim (27) and Ulysses Evans (35), both of whom reside in Charlotte NC.
 
While Officer Laplante speaking with the two suspects, other Marion Officers checked the area behind Wal-Mart, where the two were observed loading items into the truck. Officers found damage to the fencing that secures where the business stores used vehicle batteries. Access had been gained into the locked fence and batteries had been removed. The males admitted to taking five of the batteries, after using the vehicle to ram the fencing to gain access.
 
While searching the vehicle, a total of 260 batteries were found in the cargo area of the truck. The vehicle was transferred to the City of Marion garage area for storage. It was determined that some of the batteries had been damaged when the vehicle was used to gain access to the fencing. Those batteries began to leak acid inside of the cargo area.
 
The Marion Fire Department was called to the scene to assess the situation. A company was contacted to contain and clean the area, and also remove the batteries to a recycling location, for public safety.
 
Three other law enforcement agencies from surrounding counties have contacted the department expressing interest with this vehicle, and similar cases in their jurisdiction.  Charges are pending with those agencies.
 
The Marion Police Department arrested and charged the occupants of the U Haul with following crimes.
 
Hassan Ibrahim:
 
Possession of Schedule II Controlled Substance
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Breaking and Entering
Larceny after Breaking and Entering
 
Ulysses Evans:
 
Injury to Personal Property
Breaking and Entering
Larceny after Breaking and Entering