There's a good possibility that a couple of thieves would still be trolling the city’s neighborhoods in search of their next victims, if it had not been for the help of a few concerned citizens, police say.

On June 8, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say they received a call around 9 p.m. that a man had been spotted stealing a woman’s purse from a car in a parking lot off Pineville-Matthews Rd in South Charlotte. An off-duty officer heard the call come through, located a boy who fit the caller’s description and detained the suspect until on duty patrol arrived.

Police say the witness later identified Terrance Jarrell Lea as the person he saw break into the car and remove the property. Lea, 17, was arrested and charged with breaking and entering of a motor vehicle and misdemeanor larceny. The purse was recovered.

A couple of days later, another concerned neighbor called 911 and said they saw someone smash in the back door and break into a vacant house in an east Charlotte neighborhood.

Police say when they entered the vacant home, they found Jordan Bernard Gilbert hiding in the attic. Gilbert, 22, was arrested and charged with breaking and entering with force, attempted larceny and possession of burglary tools.

Officers say they found gloves and burglary tools in the attic where Gilbert was hiding. They believe he was attempting to steal copper piping from the air handler unit in the attic.

“Gilbert is a prolific property thief and his arrest history dates back to 2008 in Mecklenburg County,” said CMPD spokesman Robert A. Tufano. “This case illustrates the importance of police-community relationships. Had it not been for an engaged neighbor who observed something out of place and called 911, this prolific thief may have continued to victimize.”

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