News Releases...

11/01/2005 Lt. Thil Hurley, 756-1105

Wilmington Man Arrested for Larceny

At about 7:30pm, Thursday, 10/27/2005, a resident of the Preston Trails subdivision left her home and discovered a man stealing her purse from inside her parked car. The man fled on foot and was pursued for some distance by the victim in her vehicle. Winterville Police responded and were directed by the victim to the area where the suspect was last seen.      Officers Boyd, Garcia and O'neill found the suspect and recovered all the property valued at over $200 taken from the reporting victim as well as from and unreported vehicle break-in committed earlier in the subdivision. All the property was returned to the victims and Ryan Matthew Bernatz, 18, was arrested on two counts of larceny from a motor vehicle and one count of possessing stolen property. He was jailed at the Pitt County Detention Center under $50,000 secured bond.

Ryan Matthew Bernatz of Wilmington, NC