City briefs

Park-and-ride lot suffers from rash of break-ins

Chapel Hill police are investigating a series of vehicle break-ins that have occurred this week.

According to reports, almost a dozen cars were broken into Tuesday. Five of these break-ins occurred in a park-and-ride lot on Eubanks Road.

Capt. Brian Curran said he believes the break-ins were related.

"All five break-ins occurred in the same park-and-ride lot," he said. "They all occurred within a fairly narrow time frame."

Investigator Ed Brooks confirmed the report.

"All of the break-ins on Eubanks Road occurred near 1 p.m.," Brooks said. "In each case, a rock or heavy object was used to break the window and gain access to the vehicle."

In each case, the perpetrators stole, or attempted to steal, the vehicle's stereo, Brooks said.

Brooks also said there are no plans to increase police activity in the area in response to the break-ins.

"We just recently increased patrols," he said.

Two UNC students cited for open containers of alcohol

Two UNC students were arrested and charged with possession of an open container of alcohol in public early Wednesday morning, police reports state.

Shortly after 2 a.m., Joseph Murdoch, 23, a senior economics major, and John Lea, 22, a junior communications major, were spotted by Chapel Hill police on the 200 block of West Rosemary Street holding open containers of alcohol, reports state. Both men were cited and released.

Political sign stolen from local woman's front yard

A Chapel Hill woman reported having a political sign stolen from her front lawn sometime between Monday morning and Tuesday morning.

The woman, who lives on Arlen Park Drive, reported the sign missing Tuesday afternoon.

"At least there's only 13 days left of this," Chapel Hill police Capt. Brian Curran said of the increase in political tension.

Police did not comment on which candidate was endorsed on the sign.

Halloween to interrupt Chapel Hill trash service

Chapel Hill residents who normally are serviced for garbage collection on Monday, Nov. 1, will have to wait until Wednesday, Nov. 3, during the week after Halloween.

The delay is because of the massive clean-up operation required downtown following Halloween, which will fall on a Sunday.

Halloween is expected to bring about 70,000 people to downtown. Solid waste crews prepare by placing about 100 trash barrels out for the event. They also empty all news racks so the contents can't be used to start fires. Clean-up begins about 2 a.m.

Recycling pickup for Monday service routes will remain unchanged.

Residents with questions about solid waste collection services should call the Public Works Department at 968-2796.

From staff reports.