© 2025 Public Radio East
Public Radio For Eastern North Carolina 89.3 WTEB New Bern 88.5 WZNB New Bern 91.5 WBJD Atlantic Beach 90.3 WKNS Kinston 89.9 W210CF Greenville
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
89.3 WTEB operating at reduced power

Pair of holiday season porch pirates arrested after they were caught on homeowner's doorbell camera

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published December 18, 2025 at 6:45 AM EST
Markell Carter, 18, is charged with 12 counts of possession of stolen property. An unnamed juvenile was released to his parents, with petitions to be filed in juvenile court.
Craven County Sheriff's Office
Markell Carter, 18, is charged with 12 counts of possession of stolen property. An unnamed juvenile was released to his parents, with petitions to be filed in juvenile court.

An eastern North Carolina law enforcement agency has arrested a pair of holiday season porch pirates.

On Monday, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of stolen Amazon packages in the Crooked Run Subdivision, after one incident was captured on a doorbell camera.

Deputies had received multiple calls the previous night from residents in the County Line Road and Neuse Harbour areas reporting missing deliveries.

While patrolling Crooked Run Drive, officers located a grey SUV linked to the thefts. Inside, they discovered several packages matching descriptions of those reported stolen.

Authorities identified the suspects as Markell Carter, 18, of Crooked Run Drive, and a male juvenile from Hickory Circle in Havelock.

Carter was charged with 12 counts of possession of stolen property. The juvenile was released to his parents, with petitions to be filed in juvenile court.

The Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone who may have purchased items from Carter to contact investigators.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston