Aide accused of stealing over $11,000 from late Whiteville mayor

WHITEVILLE, NC (WECT) - A South Carolina woman is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from former Whiteville Mayor Anne Jones while working as a healthcare aide, according to the Whiteville Police Department.

Earlene Roberts Locklear, 52, of North Myrtle Beach, is facing two dozen counts of obtaining property by false pretense and larceny after she allegedly used a debit card to steal over $11,000 from Jones between February and May of 2018.

Locklear was aided in the alleged scheme by another woman, Brittany Locklear, and a third, unidentified suspect who police are still investigating. The trio were working for Jones was healthcare aides

Once Jones realized the money was missing from her bank account, she contacted the Whiteville Police Department.

Earlene Locklear was arrested by North Myrtle Beach police on March 6 and later taken to the Columbus County Detention Center where she is jailed under a $48,000 bond. Brittany Locklear was previously arrested, according to Whiteville police. Her arrest details are not currently known.

Jones, the first woman elected mayor of Whiteville, died on Nov. 3, 2018, at age 90.