FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – The Franklin County Sheriff's Office has arrested seven people after recent break-ins in the Moneta community.
The investigation started September 15, when the same home on Lakemount Drive was broken into twice. No one lived there at the time because it had been damaged by a fire.
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Deputies soon developed 25-year-old Glade Hill resident Zachariah Markham and 31-year-old Rocky Mount resident Brittany Nichols as suspects. Both of them were charged with breaking and entering and grand larceny. Markham was also charged with destruction of property.
On October 30, deputies responded to that same home in reference to a suspicious person in the area. They found the person and determined that he did not belong there. Deputies were able to find three other suspects and recover stolen items related to the break-in.
31-year-old Roanoke resident Christopher Palmero, 29-year-old Roanoke resident Amanda Maggio, 30-year-old Roanoke resident Joseph Stewart, and 30-year-old Roanoke resident Brett Halsey were all charged with burglary and grand larceny.
The investigation also led to search warrants in Roanoke and Vinton as well as the additional arrest of 50-year-old Keith Arrington for burglary and grand larceny.
Deputies have advised the homeowners to put better security measures into place.
There may be more charges in the future.
Nichols, Markham and Halsey are in the Western Virginia Regional Jail without bond. Both Maggio and Palmero are being held there on a $5,000 bond. Stewart bonded out on a $10,000 bond and Arrington bonded out on a $1,500 bond.