Wilkesboro Police Department

09/15/2026

🚨 **SCAM ALERT: THIS TEXT IS A TRICK!** 📱🚨

Have you ever received a text saying there was a huge charge on your account and you needed to call immediately? **DON’T PANIC — and don’t call the number in the message!**

Cybercriminals are using a scam known as **smishing (text message phishing)** to trick people into giving up their personal and financial information.

📲 One recent scam claims to be from Apple Pay account services and says an **$8,250 charge** was made to your account. The message threatens that another charge will happen within minutes unless you call the provided number.

⚠️ **That urgency is part of the scam!** If you call, the scammer may pretend to be Apple Support and ask for your credit card number, email address, or other personal information.

🛡️ **Protect yourself:**
• Never call a phone number provided in a suspicious text.
• Don't click links in unexpected messages.
• Check your account by opening your bank or Apple app directly.
• Never provide banking or personal information to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
• Take a moment to STOP, THINK, and VERIFY before acting.

Remember: **Scammers want you to react quickly. Taking a few extra minutes to verify could save you thousands of dollars.**

👉 **When in doubt, don’t click, don’t call, and don’t share your information.**

09/11/2026

🇺🇸 Never Forget — September 11, 2001 🇺🇸

Today, we pause to remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and the families, friends, and communities forever changed by that day.

We honor the nearly 3,000 innocent people who never made it home, and we remember the brave first responders who ran toward danger while others were running away. Their courage, sacrifice, and dedication will never be forgotten.

As members of law enforcement, we are reminded of the selflessness and commitment shown by our brothers and sisters who answered the call that day.

We remember. We honor. We will never forget.

🇺🇸 September 11, 2001 — Always Remembered. Never Forgotten. 🇺🇸

09/08/2026

Touch A Truck Wilkes is Saturday, September 19, from 10 AM–2 PM at the Wilkes Rotary Park Fairgrounds. The event is FREE and will feature 100+ vehicles and pieces of equipment, hands-on activities, agriculture, career and workforce opportunities, emergency vehicles, food, and plenty of family-friendly fun.

Because our advertising budget is limited, our exhibitors and sponsors are one of our most important ways of reaching the community.

Would you help us by sharing the event?
We've made it easy. Attached you'll find a "Help Us Spread the Word" graphic and our event flyer. You can:

• Share the attached graphic on Facebook or Instagram
• Share our Touch A Truck Wilkes posts when you see them
• Send the event information to your customers, employees, friends and family
• Include the event in your company newsletter or email
• Print and display the flyer at your business

We've also included ready-to-use wording below if you'd like to copy and paste it into a social media post or email:

FREE FAMILY EVENT!

We're excited to be part of Touch A Truck Wilkes on Saturday, September 19!

Bring the kids out to explore 100+ vehicles and pieces of equipment, meet local professionals, discover skilled trades and careers, enjoy hands-on activities, and much more!

📅 September 19
⏰ 10 AM–2 PM
📍 Wilkes Rotary Park Fairgrounds
🎟️ FREE admission!

08/25/2026

📚🚍 Back to School Safety Reminder 🚍📚

School is back in session this week, and that means more buses on the road carrying our most precious passengers our children. Please help us keep them safe by remembering when to stop for a school bus:

🔴 Two-lane roadway with a center turning lane: ALL traffic from both directions must stop.

🟠 Roadway of four lanes or more with a center turning lane: ONLY traffic following the bus must stop.

🟢 Divided highway with a median separation: ONLY traffic following the bus must stop.

⚠️ Stopping for a school bus is not just the law it’s about protecting the lives of children in our community.

Let’s work together to make this school year a safe one! 💛

07/02/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Road Closure Notice – America 250 Parade
Saturday, July 4, 2026

The Wilkesboro Police Department advises motorists and residents of temporary road closures on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in conjunction with the America 250 Parade.

Beginning at 1:00 p.m., Main Street will be closed between West Street and Woodland Boulevard. This closure will remain in effect until approximately 5:00 p.m. Detours will be established to assist motorists traveling through the area. Please refer to the attached map for designated detour routes.

At approximately 3:30 p.m., an additional closure will be implemented on Main Street from Cherry Street to Oakwoods Road as the America 250 Parade begins in Wilkesboro and proceeds into North Wilkesboro. These roadways will remain closed until the parade has safely passed through the Town of Wilkesboro. Streets will be reopened as soon as it is safe to do so.

Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, allow additional travel time, and use alternate routes to avoid delays. Those attending the parade are encouraged to arrive early and follow all directions provided by law enforcement officers and event personnel.

The Wilkesboro Police Department appreciates the public's patience and cooperation as we work to ensure the safety of participants, spectators, and motorists during this community celebration.

07/01/2026

We will be collecting school supplies until July 30th. Drop off at Wilkesboro Police Department Monday-Friday during business hours.

06/17/2026

05/22/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Armed Robbery Investigation Leads to Two Arrests

Wilkesboro, NC — On Thursday, May 21, 2026, at approximately 5:00 p.m., Wilkesboro Police Communications dispatched officers with the Wilkesboro Police Department to an armed robbery reported in the parking lot area of Brushy Mountain Powersports.

The caller advised communications personnel that the suspects had fled the scene traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 421 in a gold Toyota Avalon. Shortly after the broadcast, a member of the Wilkesboro Fire Department observed the suspect vehicle traveling southbound in the area of U.S. Highway 421 and U.S. Highway 421 Business and immediately radioed the vehicle’s location to responding law enforcement officers.

A Trooper with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol located the vehicle near N.C. Highway 16 South and conducted a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 16 South near Food Lion in Wilkesboro. Troopers detained the occupants of the vehicle without incident. During the stop, officers located two handguns inside the vehicle.

Officers with the Wilkesboro Police Department responded to the traffic stop location to assist the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. Following the stop, the Highway Patrol turned custody of the suspects over to the Wilkesboro Police Department to continue the criminal investigation.

The suspects, identified as Kristopher Ward, 20, of Taylorsville, and a 15-year-old juvenile, were transported to the Wilkesboro Police Department for questioning.

As a result of the investigation, Kristopher Ward was charged with:

• Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon
• Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery
• Possession of a Stolen Firearm
• Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor

The juvenile suspect was turned over to Juvenile Services for secured custody. Juvenile petitions were obtained for the following offenses:

• Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon
• Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery
• Assault by Pointing a Firearm
• Possession of a Firearm by a Juvenile

The investigation remains ongoing and has determined that the robbery did not involve the business itself. The incident occurred between two parties who had arranged to meet in the parking lot for reasons unrelated to Brushy Mountain Powersports or its operations.

The Wilkesboro Police Department would like to thank the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and the Wilkesboro Fire Department for their quick actions and assistance in bringing this incident to a safe conclusion.

05/13/2026

The High Country Council of Governments (HCCOG) invites our community to come together for the Wilkes Elder Abuse Awareness Walk in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

Join us on Friday, June 12th at 9:00 AM as we walk to raise awareness, show support for older adults, and stand against elder abuse in our community.

Let's make a difference together! Wear purple and help us build strong support for elders!