Over the past several months, Union County Sheriff’s Office Detectives have been investigating a string of break-ins involving businesses, vehicles, and several stolen cars. These crimes took place between September 10th and October 24th, 2025, in the Indian Trail, Stallings, and Weddington areas. In the most recent incident, the offenders used a firearm in an attempt to force open a locked safe.

After a thorough investigation, detectives identified three suspects involved in these crimes. All three are juveniles who live outside of Union County.

Detectives obtained secure custody orders for each juvenile from the NC Department of Juvenile Justice. With help from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s JADE Unit, and the UCSO SHIELD Unit, all three juveniles were safely taken into custody and transported to a juvenile detention center. During a coordinated search warrant with CMPD and the NCSBI, detectives also located and seized three firearms from one of the suspect’s homes.

In total, these three juveniles are responsible for three stolen vehicles, five vehicle break-ins, and five business break-ins across Union County. They now face a combined 42 charges, including motor vehicle theft, breaking and entering, safecracking, and possession of firearms by a minor. All three remain in custody at this time.

Sheriff Cathey added,

“This case demonstrates what can be accomplished when agencies unite around a common goal. I want to thank our detectives for their hard work and recognize the outstanding teamwork shown by CMPD, NCSBI, and our own SHIELD Unit. Efforts like these keep our community safe and help ensure that criminals are taken off our streets.”