AHOSKIE – A Winton man found himself arrested on two counts in a matter of hours Monday.

Early Monday morning, Ahoskie Police Sgt. Stephen White responded to a call at a business located on South Academy Street. Upon arrival, he received a report from the owner that a person had broken in to a coin operated machine, damaged it and stolen money.

Sgt. White was able to receive information from witnesses and returned to the Ahoskie Police Department. There, a male who had been arrested earlier was being processed by APD Officer Jeffrey Woodard on an unrelated warrant.

After speaking with the suspect, Sgt. White charged Clarence Benjamin Peele, 39, of Camp Street in Winton with four misdemeanor charges, including breaking into a coin operated machine, damage to a coin operated machine, attempted larceny and injury to personal property.

He was also charged with communicating threats on the unrelated warrant and placed in the Hertford County Jail under an $11,000 secured bond.

“I would like to commend Sgt. White for his good work and quick thinking which led him to solve two incidents at one time,” Ahoskie Police Chief Troy Fitzhugh said.