With one fell swoop, Wilkes County deputies have cleared a large chunk of the outstanding cases of burglaries and home thefts in the Purlear and Millers Creek areas the past six months or so. Millers Creek resident Rockie Joe Huffman was collared Wednesday night and is a suspect in numerous other break-in and larceny cases. Sheriff’s Detective Captain Steve Cabe tells the Journal-Patriot, “we believe he primarily acted alone, but there are other persons of interest” in the investigation. At last check he remained in jail on 150-thousand dollars bond.
Cabe said four-wheelers, chain saws, power tools and other property worth tens of thousands of dollars were taken, in many instances during break-ins at outbuildings and garages near homes. Items also were taken from both outside and within houses. It was that pattern, and some of the property turning up at pawn shops, that led authorities to Huffman, according to Cabe.
