Operation Silent Night results in 88 arrests in the four county area
Operation Silent Night results in 88 arrests in the four county area
Nearly 230 law enforcement officers from state, local, and federal agencies joined forces this week for Operation Silent Night, an enforcement operation that served outstanding criminal warrants and conducted compliance checks on high risk and violent offenders on probation and parole in Vance, Granville, Warren, and Franklin counties.
Significant arrests and accomplishments included:
- Confiscation of 10 firearms including assault rifles and significant quantities of ammunition
- Confiscation of significant quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana and cash
- Location and cleanup of a home methamphetamine lab in Franklin County
- Absconder from post-release supervision safely brought into custody after a three-hour standoff in Franklin County
- Recovery of a stolen vehicle in Vance County
- Eight parole warrants issued and served for parole or post-release supervision violations
- 118 searches of probationers attempted, 71 completed
- 174 warrants served, 212 charges cleared, 32 probation violations issued
Participating agencies included:
U.S. Marshals Service
North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Vance County Sheriff’s Office
Warren County Sheriff’s Office
Granville County Sheriff’s Office
Franklin County Sheriff’s Office
Henderson Police Department
Butner Public Safety
Oxford Police Department
Henderson-Vance Emergency Operations
NC Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NC ISAAC)
State Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern District NC
Office of the District Attorney for District 9
North Carolina State Highway Patrol
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
“The U.S. Marshals Service along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners will continually work to ensure that violent and repeat offenders on probation and parole supervision are compliant and held accountable for their actions,” said Scott J. Parker, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “This initiative demonstrated the partnership and dedication of the men and women from the U.S. Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners throughout Eastern North Carolina. I want to thank all of the law enforcement officers from the participating agencies for their relentless pursuit of justice here in North Carolina.”
“Cooperation between state, local and federal law enforcement agencies is critical to maintaining safe communities everywhere. No agency can accomplish this alone,” said Frank L. Perry, Secretary of the NC Department of Public Safety. “We appreciate the quality work that these agencies do on a daily basis and we thank them for their collaboration on this operation.”
“The District Attorney’s office is proud to have participated in Operation Silent Night,” said Michael Waters, district attorney for Franklin, Granville, Warren, and Vance counties. “We expect the relationships forged during this effort will pay future dividends in detecting and prosecuting serious felons and probation violators.”
“The City of Henderson and its residents should be extremely pleased with the efforts put forth in this major operation,” said Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow. “Our hopes are that the work done in planning and executing Operation Silent Night will benefit our community in the months to come. This is believed to be the largest regional operation for the Henderson Police Department and we are extremely grateful to the U.S. Marshals Service, The NC Department of Public Safety and our partners for their professionalism and effort.”
“Every day the men and women of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office take proactive steps throughout the county to ensure the safety of the citizens,” said Franklin County Sheriff Kent Winstead. “This operation with local, state and federal agencies is another example of our commitment to continue our efforts in making this county a safe place to live and raise a family.”
“The SBI enjoys long-standing partnerships with local, state and federal law-enforcement agencies and will continue to engage in multi-agency operations like these to make North Carolina a safer place to live,” said NC State Bureau of Investigation Robert Schurmeier. “The SBI was able to contribute to overall efforts with several specialty units including the state’s fusion center (ISAAC), Special Response Team, Clandestine Lab Unit, area field agents, bomb squad and Computer Crimes Unit.”
www.usmarshals.gov
(Press Release Information Above, including two WIZS Photos and one WIZS Cover Photo. The entire press conference was broadcast live on WIZS 1450 AM and streamed live on WIZS.com from about 10:00 a.m. until about 10:35 a.m., which included live interviews with District Attorney Mike Waters, NC SBI Director Robert Schurmeier and Lieutenant Allen Hedgepeth of the Henderson Police Department. The press conference occurred at Clearview Church on Oxford Road in Henderson.)
Press Release from District Attorney Mike Waters
Oxford, NC – A multi-agency law enforcement operation is underway. The operation should not interfere with daily activities of the public.
In order to preserve operational security and the safety of the officers involved, no details will be released until the operation has concluded. A news conference with details is planned for Thursday morning.
WIZS Radio will air this news conference live on location.
Sheriff Peter White Offers Holiday Shopping Safety Tips
The holiday season is here and shoppers are crowding malls and discount stores to buy the latest gadgets and find the best deals.
But what shoppers are neglecting is their safety. According to Sheriff White, this time of year attracts more shopping-related criminal activity because of larger crowds and extended store hours. These factors, and the unusual distraction of shopping, creates a more favorable environment for petty thieves and other offenders.
The Sheriff reminds all Vance County residents to follow these safety tips:
Shopping Safety
- A single shopper is the best target for theft. Always shop with a friend or relative.
- When going shopping, tell someone where you are going and what time to expect you to return. Also, make sure they know what you are wearing, as well as the type of vehicle you are driving.
- Shop during daylight hours. If you shop at night, park your vehicle in a well-lit area.
- Dress casually and comfortably and avoid wearing expensive jewelry. If carrying cash, keep it in your front pocket rather than your purse or wallet. This makes it much more difficult for a pick-pocket to remove. Also store car keys in a pants or jacket pocket. If your purse is stolen, you will still be able to drive.
- Pay careful attention to your surroundings and avoid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion to avoid mishaps.
- When returning to your vehicle, check around it and in the back seat. Be aware of strangers approaching you for any reason. Have your keys in your hand to avoid spending unnecessary time unprotected from the security of your vehicle.
- If you feel uneasy returning to your vehicle alone, find a security guard and ask them to walk you to your car.
According to Sheriff White, during this time of year, busy holiday shoppers become careless and vulnerable to other crimes as well. Credit card fraud and gift card fraud are on the rise. However, taking a few preventive measures can help.
Credit Card Fraud
- Keep a close watch on your credit card every time you use it, and make sure you get it back as quickly as possible.
- Never write your pin number on your credit card.
- Never leave your credit card receipts lying around.
- Shield your credit card number so that others around you can’t copy it or capture it on a mobile phone or other camera.
- Only carry credit cards that you absolutely need.
- Shred anything with your credit card number on it.
- If you’re planning to purchase online, make sure the web page where you enter your credit card information is secure through SSL (Secure Socket Layer). You can tell if the web page is secure by looking for the gold lock or key icon at the bottom corner of your browser window.
- If you’re not comfortable submitting your information through the internet, call the seller and give them your information over the phone. Never send your credit card information via email.
- Check the company out. Only do business with companies that provide a physical address and phone number.
- Lastly, keep good records. Always print out a copy of any online products or services you purchase.
For more information contact the Vance County Sheriff’s Office at 252-738-2200.