MURFREESBORO – Three dollars in change and a broken window screen has landed a pair of local teens in jail.

Jakel Lomor Vaughan, 16, of Fox Ridge Apartments in Murfreesboro, and 19-year-old Zarreyant Alzante Newsome of NC 35, Pendleton, were both arrested Monday after they were identified as the suspects in the breaking and entering and theft of money from a Lance Road residence in the Carvers Park area of Murfreesboro.

Both teens were charged by Hertford County Sheriff’s Sgt. Leon Eason with one felony count each of breaking and entering, and larceny.

The teens were each jailed under a $10,000 secured bond and made their initial appearance on Tuesday in Hertford County District Court.

“We were able to develop these two young men as suspects thanks to an excellent description given by an eyewitness to the crime,” said Hertford County Sheriff Juan Vaughan. “We are always very appreciative of the help we are given by our citizens. Their input has helped us solve numerous cases, including this one.”

That witness called 9-1-1 shortly past 12 noon on Monday and reported a breaking-and-entering in progress at 104 Lance Road. Sheriff Vaughan along with Chief Deputy Will Liverman, Captain Jesse Fennell, Lt. Dexter Hayes, Deputy Beau Williams, Sgt. Eason, Murfreesboro Police Officer David Griffith, and Chowan University Police Chief Derek Burke all responded to the scene.

“The witness reported that two black males were seen on the back porch of the residence at 104 Lance Road,” Sheriff Vaughan stated. “The witness said the two males were seen again just moments later exiting the residence through the front door. We were given a very thorough description of the articles of clothing the suspects were wearing, including the color of that clothing.”

The responding law enforcement officers searched the neighborhood in an effort to locate the suspects.

“Chief Burke spotted two individuals coming out of a wooded area at Carvers Park and onto US 158 Business,” the Sheriff said. “We all converged on Chief Burke’s location and detained the two males for questioning. We noticed that these two individuals were wearing the same type and color of clothing as described by the witness, prompting the arrest warrants being drawn on the two young men.”

“The owner of the residence came home and after taking inventory of his home he told us that a window screen was damaged and a couple of dollars worth of coins were missing,” Sheriff Vaughan said. “When we searched the two suspects, Mr. Newsome had 20 dimes, five nickels and three quarters in his pocket.”