NEWPORT-The Cocke County Sheriff's Department reported on Wednesday, Nov. 25, that three individuals have been arrested earlier this month and charged with aggravated burglary, theft over $1,000, and theft over $10,000, according to a press release.

The individuals have been arraigned and are currently in custody.

They are: Shana Wolfe, 24, of 712 Leisure Circle, in Newport; Bridget Emmy Williams, 26, of 6601 Leaps Ferry Road, in Jefferson County; and Howard Strahan, 32, of 109 Greenwood Way, in Newport.

The burglaries and thefts reportedly took place in the county, on Blackberry Cove, Irish Cutt Road, Golf Course Road, Cosby Highway, Edwina Bridgeport Road, Old Asheville Highway, Old Parrottsville Road, and Rankin Hill Road.

Det. Derrick Woods, the lead investigator in the cases, said the two women, Wolfe and Williams, operated together in their burglaries. Strahan's burglaries were not related to those of the two women, Woods said. Woods said Wednesday that the two women were arrested Monday, Nov. 9. Strahan was arrested at a later date.

Some of the stolen merchandise has been recovered, according to officials with the Cocke County Sheriff's Department.

The release stated that beginning in October, and then in November, Cocke County Sheriff's Department Criminal Investigation Division "has aggressively worked on home burglaries."

The release said that at one residence, one of the females since arrested was getting ready to burglarize the home when the homeowner arrived, and the would-be burglar pretended she was looking for someone. Her arrest reportedly resulted in solving three burglaries in Hamblen County and one in Jefferson County.

Also, while another case was being investigated, a female and a male sold items stolen from a burglary in the presence of the detective. When apprehended, the two individuals were wearing shoes stolen from a burglary and carried a pocketbook from another burglary.

The release stated that "several items were recovered (from) the burglaries in Cocke, Hamblen, and Jefferson counties."

"The investigation into these individuals involved in additional burglaries is continuing and there will be more individuals arrested that are involved in these burglaries and theft," the release stated.