Top, from left, Moseley and King. Bottom from, left, Pierce and Wright.

Roanoke Rapids police said today they face more than 300 individual counts that reflect break-ins of more than 40 vehicles, thefts allegedly committed to score money for drugs as well as the adrenaline rush.

The five teens — Steven Wright, 17; John Tyler Pierce, 16; Alex Moseley, 19; Ryan King, 17, and a 15-year-old juvenile — used the term “Eskimoing” for the crimes, Detective Bobby Martin said, and sometimes called it car hopping.

“Most of it was to facilitate the money and the adrenaline rush. It was compared to a fight where you win some and you lose some,” Martin said, explaining an unlocked vehicle door was a victory, while a locked one was a loss.

The crime spree, which began in the latter part of March, accounted for some $42,000 to $43,000 in damage and property stolen from the vehicles, Detective Jeff Davis said.

The inventory of items taken include two cars, which have been recovered; firearms, phones, large amounts cash, GPS units, computers, and keys to other vehicles, Lieutenant Bruce Norton said.

Police caught a break in the case through a tip from Detective Jamie Hardy, a drug agent in the police department, which happened to corroborate information that detectives were working on, Martin said. “We spent numerous hours trying to pinpoint the mode of operation. They were covering a wide area. We figured they would have to have a mode of transportation. We knew they were moving around.”

The break-ins occurred across the city, from Bolling Road and Greenbriar, to Williams Street and Hunting Ridge Road, as well as Georgia Avenue.

While evidence was found to suggest they were allegedly attempting to break in to unlocked vehicles, the majority of those targeted were unlocked vehicles. “They were looking for vehicles of easy prey,” Chief Thomas Hathaway said.

The lead corroborated with Hardy led to the first arrest of Wright early Friday. He and the other of age suspects, face two counts of motor vehicle theft; 34 felony breaking and entering of a motor vehicle counts; 15 counts of misdemeanor larceny; two counts of misdemeanor attempted breaking and entering; 17 counts of misdemeanor possession of stolen goods; two counts of felony possession of stolen goods; three counts of misdemeanor injury to property; two counts of larceny of a motor vehicle and two counts of larceny of a firearm.

The juvenile, who has not been petitioned yet, will face similar charges.

Davis said King, who was identified as one of the people police were looking for, was located at the prom and “quietly pulled aside.”

The four of age teens were jailed on $25,000 secured bonds and have May 28 court dates.

There was no particular ringleader of the group, Martin said, just a group of teens allegedly working together, one group taking one side of a street and another taking the other to break in vehicles to score drug money.

In changing times where it is no longer safe to leave home of car doors unlocked, Martin said, “We're hoping the citizens of Roanoke Rapids have learned to keep their vehicle doors locked.”

Hathaway said the arrests were part of a team effort involving uniformed officers and detectives. “I commend each and every one of them for their due diligence. It was a team effort.”