Story from staff reports. File photo by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – Everybody in town knows the Scotchman convenience store. It’s on a triangular peninsula of land on East Chatham Street as you’re coming into Cary from the state capital. Last night, it was robbed at gunpoint according to community sources.

The Facts

The following police report came in after lunchtime today from a CaryCitizen community source:

On 11/14/11 at approximately 2317 hours District 1 officers responded to 421  E. Chatham Street (Scotchman convenient store) in reference to an armed robbery.  Two unknown black male suspects entered the store with their faces covered.  One suspect was armed with an unknown type of long gun.  The suspects had the clerk wait in a back room while they exited the store.

Suspect 1                            Suspect 2
Black male                        Black male
5’8” – 5’9”                          5’9″ – 6’0″

A quick search on the Town of Cary website did not turn up any information about this incident.

Got Information?

If know anything about this crime, call Cary Crime Stoppers. Calls kept confidential; cash reward for information that leads to arrest and indictment.  (919) 226-CRIME.

Story and photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – On Friday morning, the manager of the Fidelity bank in downtown Cary called Clare Sifford, Director of Cary Visual Art. Someone had tipped over the sculpture on loan at the corner of Chatham and Academy. This is the second piece of sculpture vandalized in the last month.

Getawaycar

Getawaycar, the sculpture by Adam Wall was awarded Best in Show this year in Cary. “Last night,” Clare told CaryCitizen, “someone (probably more than one person, as this piece is VERY heavy) pushed it over.”

Damage was evident along the top of the sculpture. A paint smear on the sidewalk showed where the artwork had crashed to the ground.

“I could see that the paint was chipped and the steel was bent,” Clare said. “Fortunately, Adam is semi-local, as he lives in Laurinburg, NC, and will be able to come repair the piece at some point in the near future. This sculpture is valued at $5,000.”

2nd Piece Vandalized

This is the second piece of public art vandalized in downtown Cary in less than a month. “The first one was Collective Conductivity by artist Julia Rogers,” Sifford told this publication.

“It happened on Wednesday evening, 8/24/11. The glass heads of the sculptures were pried loose and dangling by the LED light wires, the glass lotus in the seated figure’s hand was broken, and her large glass hand was pried loose and stolen.”

“The glass hand is not cast,” Sifford said, “it is hand-formed. Each piece is individually made to properly fit the other components in the piece. This sculpture is valued at $15,000.”

Collective Conductivity photograph by Clare Sifford.

Victim #1: The Artists

In most cases, the artists themselves must pay for the damage in repair or restoration.

Cary Visual Art carries liability coverage for the exhibition, but artists are advised to self-insure their work. Few do.

So, in the case of vandalism, the artists are the victim.

Victim #2: The Community

Vandalism has a chilling effect in the arts. “I am so disheartened that it seems like vandals have specifically targeted our exhibition. This is heartbreaking to me, and I am afraid that continued vandalism will discourage artists from participating with CVA, therefore hurting our exhibition further.”

So, in the case of public art, the community is the victim as well.

Standing Up For Ourselves

Naturally, community members downtown and across town are outraged. Police Captain Don Hamilton wrote to Clare Sifford, “I hate that this is piece number 2 to be damaged and I agree that continued problems could jeopardize future artists wanting to participate.”

Cary Police run nightly patrols downtown. One expects they will step up their presence in light of this new challenge.

One might also expect video surveillance to be considered as a way to safeguard valuable artwork on loan to the community.

As our downtown redevelops, now is the time to make sure we have a safety regime commensurate with our community investment and needs.

An editorial by Hal Goodtree, Publisher of CaryCitizen.

Cary, NC – My friend Pagliacci, a professional photo journalist, wrote last week to mock me about our lack of coverage concerning the murder of Nancy Cooper. “It’s the biggest story of the year and you missed it!” he crowed.

Au contraire, my sad friend. We chose not to cover it. Here’s why. 

1. Profiteering from Tragedy

Where is the line between news and sensationalism? When does normal news coverage morph into profiteering from tragedy?

In our book, we stay away from stories whose main or only merit is sensationalism, controversy or tragedy. Those stories may get lots of web views, but they damage the community in which we all live.

Since the local newspaper has the bad-news franchise locked up, we focus on the good news – Education, Arts, Non-Profits, Sports, Business – community stories of achievement, success or even healing. We featured Nancy’s Butterfly Fund Gala in our weekend events coverage last week. That’s the fund set up as a memorial to Nancy Cooper.

2. The Crime That Launched a Thousand News Stories

Meanwhile, a handful of our local mass media outlets latched onto the Cooper murder story like junkies on crack.

The story has dominated the evening newscasts. The News & Observer lists more than 200 stories on a keyword search for “Nancy Cooper.”

Taken together, local mass media has likely published a thousand stories on the murder. I’m tired of seeing Brad Cooper’s face on my Facebook home page and on the front of the N&O. There is more to our community than Brad Cooper.

3. Cary’s a Baaaaaaaaad Town

The subtext in much of the major media coverage of the Cooper story is the notion that Cary is a baaaaaaaaaad town. Our allegedly beige exterior hides a secretly depraved core. The News & Observer loves this thread. It’s been a staple of their coverage for years.

They’ve even pushed that message down to the Cary News. As if we hadn’t gotten the word in the previous 200 stories, the Cary News spelled it out for “friends” on Facebook on Sunday:

Meanwhile, 61 other things went on in Cary just this past weekend. Scant coverage of that (except here).

I was at Herbfest on Saturday. The place was packed, but I didn’t see a lot of baaaaaaaaaad people. Not very beige either.

4. Disservice to the Cary Police

In perhaps the most shockingly cynical twist to their narrative, the newspaper trashes the police department (and it’s not the first time).

They talk about the “unrelenting spotlight” on “the Cary Police Department, accused of incompetence and bias.” Who said that? Brad Cooper’s attorney.

He’s supposed to say that. But, thankfully, neither the judge nor the jury was buying it.

The headline could have read “Cary Police Vindicated.”

5. Why Read It?

As Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht pointed out in his blog,

“I believe the newspaper did a hatchet job on one of the premiere communities in Cary, Lochmere, especially in the story ‘Case was Lifestyles of the “Popular” and “Affluent”‘.

And it’s not an aberration. The newspaper coverage of the Cooper story was hand-in-glove with their coverage of the Bowden story, the Wachovia bank robbery story, the Wake County Board of Ed story and on and on.

For advertisers, one has to ask if this same local newspaper actually reaches the hearts and minds of the people of Cary anymore. For many of my neighbors, it reaches the recycling bin, that’s for sure.

If you feel the way I do, take action by saying NO to the N&O. Unlike them on Facebook and unfriend them on Twitter. Cancel your print subscription. I get The Wall Street Journal delivered to my house 6 days a week, all year, for $149.

Or maybe we should collect all those nasty issues of the N&O and have a big bonfire. On July 4th. Call it our Independence Day.

And that’s how I feel about the coverage of the Cooper story, Pagliacci.

Story from staff reports. Photo by Lacey & Cielle.

Cary, NC – This is a disturbing item. Cary Police are seeking your help in an investigation of 30 tire-slashings this past Sunday night. Two Cary teens have been arrested and admitted to the crimes.

Teens Say 30, Investigator Find 9

Based on an anonymous tip, police arrested Spencer Logan Todd, 18, and Christopher Nicholas Cover-Garcia, 17, both of Cary. They are being held at Wake County Public Safety Center.

The teens have admitted to slashing up to 30 tires, but investigators have so far only discovered 9.

Get in Touch with CPD

If you tires were slashed on Sunday night, get in touch with Cary Police Department at (919) 469-4012.

Story from staff reports. Photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – Over the last several months, there’s been a rash of Cary burglaries - 220 of them in the last 15 months, to be exact. And more recently there has been a virtual wave in the Waldo Rood/Cary Parkway area.

The thieves have gained access through unlocked doors and garages, most often while residents are asleep inside. No injuries have been reported and an investigation is ongoing.

Michael Williams, Investigations Commander, told CaryCitizen, ”In these burglaries, the person has targeted money, wallets and purses. Of course the alarming aspect to these is that they have occurred at night with someone home.  We would ask that if anyone sees anything or anyone that appears suspicious to give us a call.”

Take Precautions

If you live in the neighborhoods off Waldo Rood, you can take these simple precautions:

1. Close and lock overhead garage doors and all other external doors
2. Use variable light timers and motion-sensitive lights to activate lights inside and outside your home
3. Keep valuables in a secure part of the home away from doors and windows
4. Report any suspicious or unfamiliar vehicles or pedestrians in your neighborhood, especially during the overnight hours, and call the police if you witness any suspicious activity

Pat Bazemore, Cary Chief of Police, reminds us all, “Our goal is to make our community aware of what is going on so they can take the necessary steps to reduce the opportunity of being a victim.  Closing garage doors, removing valuables from vehicles, and locking interior doors are simple steps our community members can take to reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim.”

Report Something

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Town of Cary Police Department at (919) 469-4012 or Cary Crime Stoppers at 226-CRIM(E).

Cary, NC – At a news conference today, the Town of Cary Police Department announced that the ongoing investigations into the hostage situation at Wachovia Bank on February 10 have revealed that Devon Mitchell, 19, of Pony Club Circle in Cary was not armed when he entered the branch located at 10050 Green Level Church Road just before 3 p.m. and held several people against their will for three hours.

“Despite what the 911 call reported, despite what he said to the hostages, despite what he told our hostage negotiator, despite what we all thought we saw when he came out of the bank with something pointed at one of the hostages’ head, we know now that there was no gun,”  said Town of Cary Police Chief Pat Bazemore.

Mitchell died at the scene from shots fired by four Town of Cary police officers and one Wake County Sheriff’s Office deputy when he exited the bank three hours after the start of the incident, pointing what appeared to be a handgun at one of the hostages. After days of intense searching and investigation, police concluded Saturday evening that Mitchell did not have a weapon.

Story from staff reports. Photo from NBC17 Facebook page.

Cary, NC – Yesterday afternoon, a hostage situation and seeming bank robbery came to a tragic conclusion in Cary.  Devon Mitchell, 19, of the 900 block of Pony Club Circle in Cary, was fatally shot after attempting to rob the Wachovia bank at 10050 Green Level Church Road and holding seven people hostage for several hours.

Of the seven citizens held captive, five were Wachovia Bank employees. Three citizens were released immediately, and 2 hours later, two more were released. Less than an hour later, Mitchell exited the bank, apparently holding a gun to the head of a hostage and using her as a human shield.

Officers fired at Mitchell, who died at the scene. No one else was injured.

911 Call

The incident began around 3 p.m. when Cary Police received a 911 call from the bank.

The caller told police that the robber, later identified as Devon Mitchell, 19, of Pony Club Circle in Cary, had a gun to the head of the bank manager and had instructed her to call the police.

The Town of Cary Police Department has released the 911 call to the media.

Warning: some listeners may find the contents of the call to be upsetting.

About the Suspect

Information about Mr. Mitchell is scarce, but he was reported to have a history of mental health issues. Friends had seen Mitchell earlier in the day and he seemed okay.

Mitchell had dropped out of high school but was reported to be going back. It was also reported that Mitchell held a job at a Bojangles restaurant.

Friends and neighbors were clearly in shock at the tragic turn of events. Devon Mitchell’s family has stated that they will not be doing any interviews and their community has been closed to the media. As well, Chief Bazemore and the CPD will not be doing interviews or making comments on the case for the foreseeable future so they can focus on the investigation and evaluation of the incident.

“This isn’t how we wanted it to end, but we’re happy to have all the hostages home safely tonight,” said Town of Cary Police Chief Pat Bazemore. “We’re extremely grateful to everyone who helped bring this sad and challenging event to its conclusion.”

————————————————————————-

Editor’s Note: Text of this story updated on 2/13/2011. Town of Cary issued at statement on Sunday that Devon Mitchell did not have a weapon.

Cary, NC -  Shortly after noon on November 29, the Town of Cary Police Department went to RBC Bank on Franklin Road in response to an active robbery. The suspect had confronted bank employees, displayed a black semi-automatic handgun, and directed them to put money in a plastic bag.

Upon receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, he fled in a white sedan on Holly Springs Road headed toward Walnut Street.

The Citizens Respond

Citizen tips came in and are credited by the Town Police Department for the arrest of Joseph Campomenosi, 40, of Daphne, Alabama for the robbery.

Campomenosi is charged with one count of Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon and four counts of Second Degree Kidnapping; these charges carry penalties of 8-40 years total of imprisonment. He was located at his residence and with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Task Force; he will be extradited to the Wake County Public Safety Center.

Kudos to our police force and to our involved citizens.

From the Cary Town web site: The incident is still under investigation, and anyone with information relating to the crime is asked to contact Cary Crime Stoppers at 226-CRIM(E) or visit www.carycrimestoppers.net. Crime Stoppers pays up to $2,500 for the arrest or indictment of those responsible for committing certain types of crimes. All calls will be kept CONFIDENTIAL at caller’s request.

By Christine Young, CPA

Cary, NC – Since October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, its only fitting that there is a brand new malware/phishing scam hitting the ‘net. 

The Latest Scam

In the latest scam, the potential victim gets an email that says “your tax payment has been rejected by the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System”. There is a link in the email that infects the victim’s computer and can lead to identity theft.

Remember:

The IRS NEVER communicates by email.

Never open an attachment that isn’t from someone you know personally, and even if you do get one from someone you know it should be something you expected to receive from them.

Neither the government nor any legitimate business will ever ask you for a social security number, or tax id number. The fact is the government has this information already.

With a few common-sense precautions, the web can be a fun, productive and informative place.

Cary, N.C. –Last week, the CVS on Tryon Road was robbed. Last night, the Cary Police Department arrested a suspect.

Here’s the story from the Town of Cary public information:

Less than a week after releasing information on an October 20 drug store robbery, the Town of Cary Police Department has arrested a Raleigh man in connection with the crime.

Kyle Sumner Gilgen, 19, of Birchleaf Drive, Raleigh, has been charged with Common Law Robbery, an offense with a punishment of eight to 36 months. He is currently being held at the Wake County Public Safety Center. The case is still under investigation and additional charges are pending.

On October 20, the Town of Cary Police Department responded to a pharmaceutical robbery at the CVS on Tryon Road. The suspect took a significant amount of Oxycodone and then left the store. No weapons were used, and no injuries were reported. Since Gilgen’s arrest, police have recovered most of the stolen medicine.

Kyle Gilgen, 19, is in Wake County lock-up.

Help the CPD

Anyone with information relating to the crime is asked to contact Cary Crime Stoppers at 226-CRIM(E) or visit www.carycrimestoppers.net. Crime Stoppers pays up to $2,500 for the arrest or indictment of those responsible for committing certain types of crimes. All calls will be kept CONFIDENTIAL at caller’s request.