A report of a suspicious couple leads authorities to arrest a Morganton pair on drug charges.

Drexel Police officers were called to O’Reilly Auto Parts at Highway 70 and Drexel Road on July 8^th where reports say a man and a woman had been loitering.

Officers located the suspects inside a pickup at the store – 29-year-old Anthony Joseph Saunders of 4000 Hawkins Drive and 29-year-old Jodi Elizabeth Sturgill of 1770 Propst Road.

Upon further investigation officers discovered suspected drugs and called narcotics detectives with the Burke County Sheriff’s Office to assist.

Saunders and Sturgill were both arrested and each charged with felony possession of meth.

Both were held at the Burke Catawba District Confinement facility under a three thousand dollar secured bond each.

Saunders and Sturgill will appear in court July 31^st.

More than 11-thousand-500-dollars worth of valuables was stolen from a Marion couple.

Marvin and Robin Pace reported to lawmen that a safe and jewelry had been removed from their residence.

An investigation led officers to arrest a 17-year-old male who is related to the couple he reportedly stole from.

He was charged with larceny, safecracking, and possession of stolen goods.