A nine-month joint investigation between the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Police Department has resulted in charges in the Dec. 16, 2011 break-in of a Cana residence.

According to Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Kevin Kemp, brother and sister Edward Lee Rosenberg, Jr. and Lavonda Denise Rosenberg have both been charged with breaking and entering and felony grand larceny as a result of the investigation.

On the morning of Dec. 16, 2011, Ollie McCreary of Cana left her residence before returning home. Upon her return, she discovered it had been broken into and found an African-American male in her house. Kemp said McCreary then witnessed the man run out of her house with approximately $2,000 in jewelry.

Kemp said McCreary then followed the man out of the house and observed him drive off in a white Audi with a North Carolina plate going south on U.S. 52 toward North Carolina.

“She immediately called family that has a business near the state line in Cana and told them what happened. They saw the vehicle and followed it into Mount Airy and got the tag number,” Kemp said. “That information was relayed to us, which came back to Edward Lee Rosenberg, Jr. of Winston-Salem.”

Kemp said the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office then contacted the Winston-Salem Police Department, who opened an investigation. Kemp said that investigation helped determine that some of the victim’s jewelry was sold in Winston-Salem-area pawn shops by Lavonda Rosenberg.

“That information led to charges being placed on her for breaking and entering in the daytime and grand larceny,” Kemp said. “She is being held in Forsyth County (N.C.) Jail awaiting extradition.”

Kemp said Winston-Salem authorities have also been looking for Edward Rosenberg, Jr. since December, but hadn’t had any luck finding him until the last few weeks.

“They arrested him on charges placed out of their state, other counties were able to connect him with crimes that dated back to 2005 in areas around Winston-Salem based on Carroll County’s communication with the Winston-Salem Police Department,” Kemp said.

Kemp added that Edward Rosenberg, Jr. was indicted for breaking and entering and felony grand larceny in the September term of Carroll County Circuit Court.

“Our investigation has shown it was a random act. It was not anything he was planning with our victim, it was just a random act of crime,” Kemp said. “Sheriff (J.B.) Gardner wants to give a big thank you to the Winston-Salem Police Department for their help. We could not have solved this crime without their assistance.”