Brief manhunt in Bladen County ends with three arrests

BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Three men were arrested on Friday for allegedly breaking into a home.

A neighbor saw suspicious people at a home around 11:45 a.m. on Twisted Hickory Road near the intersection of Highway 41. The neighbor called the owner and the owner called 911.

The Bladen County Sheriff’s Office responded and say deputies found three men had broken into the home, but ran away when a burglar alarm went off.

The sheriff’s office say all three suspects ran into the woods across from the home near Highway 41. A short time later, deputies say one was captured trying to cross the highway.

The area was surrounded and a K-9 was brought in to track the other two suspects.

After 30 minutes, the two suspects were caught in a swampy area near Highway 41.

Steven Shyquan Smith, 23, Latiek Langston, 26, and Cedric Rhodes, 20, were arrested and charged with felony breaking and entering.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol, and the Bladenboro Police Department assisted in the manhunt.

“We are very thankful for the assistance of neighbors looking out for one another and the assistance of other law enforcement agencies that helped us in this case,” Sheriff Jim McVicker said