Couple charged in Harlowe-area church air-conditioning thefts

The Craven County Sheriff's Office said it received several reports of stolen air conditioning units from churches in the Harlowe community between July 18 and July 23. Investigators identified William Earl Harper, 43, and Gretchen Leanne Harper, 44, of Newport, and charged them on July 31 in Craven and Jones counties. Charges include felony larceny, obtaining property by false pretenses, injury to property to obtain nonferrous metals, and trespassing.