Owen Middle School basketball uniforms stolen in vehicle break-in

Warcolts coach asks for return

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
January 21, 2021

The grey away uniforms and maroon warm-up shirts worn by the Owen Middle School Warcolts were reportedly the only items taken when head coach Jason Burk’s vehicle was broken into at his home on Jan. 20. Photo courtesy of Hope Burk

A string of vehicle break-ins in the Charmeldee-Sky Hi Acres community, east of Black Mountain, leaves the Owen Middle School boy’s basketball team without away uniforms. 

Three vehicles at the home of Warcolts head coach Jason Burk, one of at least three residences on the road that reported incidents, were broken into Jan. 20. 

A large maroon duffle bag, which contained the grey OMS away uniforms and maroon warm-up shirts, was the only item taken from Burk’s vehicle. The coach normally puts the uniforms in his vehicle after he brings them home to wash them, according to his wife, Hope.

“It’s such an odd thing to take,” said Hope, who filed a report this morning with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department. “Whoever did it went through all of our cars, but they ended up just taking that bag.”

The Burks are making a direct request of the person or people who have the bag with the uniforms and warm-up shirts: “just put them out at the (Charmeldee-Sky Hi Acres) community mailboxes, no questions asked.” The family is also asking local residents to keep an eye out for a maroon duffle bag that may have been deposited on the side of the road.

OMS has two games remaining on its 2020-21 schedule, including a Monday, Jan. 25 away game at Reynolds.