Woman arrested for leaving kids alone
A Benson woman was arrested recently for leaving her three young children locked in a home without adult supervision.

Daisi Ceballos Perez, 25, of 314-D W. Harnett St., was charged with three counts each of child abuse and contributing to child neglect. She was placed under $3,000 bond, according to a report.

Lloyd Herring, owner of B&H Rentals, was checking his properties when he found Perez’s three children, ages 2, 3, and 4, alone inside the West Harnett Street home. He unscrewed the clasp from the door to gain entry into the residence after one of the children was heard crying and no one answered the door, the report stated.

Officers found spoiled food and drink in the kitchen, dirty dishes on the counters and two knives near the children. A bedroom smelled strongly of urine and the residence did not appear to have any working air-conditioning.

When Perez arrived home, she told officers that she was at a neighbor’s house for a few minutes. But the neighbor told police Perez had not been with the children all day.

The Johnston County Department of Social Services took custody of the children, who were treated by Emergency Management Services for precautionary reasons, police reported.

Housing Authority broken into
Smithfield police are investigating a break-in and robbery at Smithfield Housing Authority, 511 Crump St., Smithfield.

At 8:50 a.m. Monday, an employee told police someone entered the home between 11:30 a.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. Monday and took two unspecified items worth $20 each, according to a report. The person also caused $350 damage to the building.

Vending machine vandalized
Benson police are investigating a vandalism of a vending machine at a local grocery store.

A Carlie C’s IGA employee reported that a door was pried open on a Coca-Cola vending machine Friday, according to a report. Also, a lock on the front of the machine had been broken. Damage to the machine was estimated at $500.