Criminals do not notice county or state lines.

Fortunately, neither do our local law enforcement agencies.

While different branches of law enforcement are assigned to cover specific territory, they all take an oath to uphold the law, no matter where a particular crime takes place.

The spirit of that latter statement was never more evident than in last week’s arrests of four local individuals (as well as the search for fifth person) allegedly involved in a crime spree that took place in three of the Roanoke-Chowan area’s four counties as well as our Virginia neighbors up in Southampton County.

Even though one of the suspects unwittingly helped with the investigation by brazenly driving a stolen ATV on Main Street in Murfreesboro, what really cracked this case wide open was the cooperation between different law enforcement agencies.

Working in unison towards a common goal, sheriff’s department officials in Hertford, Bertie, Northampton and Southampton counties, the Murfreesboro Police Department, Probation and Parole officers and the FBI collected evidence and built a strong case against this ring of alleged thieves and arsonists.

The combined effort prompted one of the victims to remark, “I didn’t know these different agencies worked so closely together.”

In some areas across North Carolina and the nation, law enforcement branches find it hard to work with other members of their brotherhood. They could all learn a lesson in cooperation from lawmen in the Roanoke-Chowan area, men and women who shun individual acclaim in order to let the spotlight shine on all.

Because of that unselfish attitude, four suspects – accused of breaking-and-entering, larceny and arson – are now off the streets, thus ending their destructive crime spree. Knowing that, we, as R-C area citizens, can sleep a lot better at night.

– The Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald