Ex-Employee Caught Selling Pizzas During Break-In
A 41-year-old man identified by police as Jonathon (or Jonathan) Hackett was charged after investigators say he broke into a Little Caesars restaurant in Kinston, North Carolina, on at least two occasions, made pizzas at the closed location, sold them to customers and kept the proceeds.
Police say the first unlawful entry occurred after the restaurant had closed, when Hackett — described as a former employee of that store — prepared pizzas, sold them to customers who did not realize the store was closed, and kept the money. A second break-in occurred later while employees were inside; employees attempted to stop him, and a physical confrontation followed. Hackett sustained injuries in the altercation, received medical treatment (reportedly at UNC Lenoir or taken to a hospital), and was arrested after his release from medical care. He was booked into the Lenoir County Jail.
Authorities listed charges including felony breaking and entering, felony obtaining property by false pretenses (or "false pretences"), felony larceny after breaking and entering, misdemeanor breaking and entering, and a violation of a city curfew that had been in effect during a major snowstorm from Jan. 31 through Feb. 2. Police said they did not disclose how many pizzas were made or how much money was taken, and information about bail or a court date was not provided. The case remains under investigation; police reported no employees suffered serious injuries.
Original Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (kinston) (arrest) (investigation) (entitlement) (outrage) (criminal) (theft) (scam) (betrayal) (justice) (punishment) (accountability) (clickbait) (controversy) (scandal)
Real Value Analysis
Actionable information: The article reports an incident but gives no practical steps a reader can take. It identifies the suspect, the charges, and that the case remains under investigation, but it does not offer guidance for employees, business owners, or customers who might face similar situations. There are no instructions, choices, checklists, contact numbers, or resources a reader can use immediately. In short, the piece provides no actionable help.
Educational depth: The report is superficial. It describes what allegedly happened — two break-ins, pizza sold from a closed location, a later confrontation and arrest — but it does not explain how or why these events occurred beyond the bare sequence, nor does it analyze underlying causes such as workplace security failures, access control, employee theft prevention, or legal standards for the listed charges. No statistics, trends, or context are given to help a reader understand how common this kind of crime is or what systemic weaknesses allow it. Therefore it does not teach the reader more than the basic facts of this single incident.
Personal relevance: For most readers the article is of limited personal relevance. It may interest people in the local community or managers of small food-service locations, but it does not provide specific guidance that would change a reader’s safety, financial decisions, or responsibilities. The situation is narrow and tied to one store and one suspect, so its direct applicability is limited.
Public service function: The article primarily recounts an event rather than offering warnings, safety guidance, or steps the public or businesses should take. It does not provide preventive advice for businesses, employees, or customers, nor does it explain legal consequences in a way that would help others avoid similar trouble. As such, its public-service value is low.
Practical advice: There is none in the article. No steps for securing a closed business, for employees to follow if they encounter an intruder, or for customers who may unknowingly buy goods from a closed location. Any reader hoping for practical tips will be left without usable guidance.
Long-term impact: The article focuses on a short-lived episode and offers no suggestions for long-term risk reduction, policy changes, or habit improvements that would help businesses prevent recurrence. It fails to help readers plan or prepare for similar scenarios in the future.
Emotional and psychological impact: The piece is factual and not sensational in tone, so it is unlikely to create widespread fear. However, because it offers no constructive response or reassurance, readers may be left annoyed or unsettled without knowing what to do if they are a business owner or employee in a similar situation.
Clickbait or sensationalizing: The article is straightforward and does not appear to use exaggerated or sensational language. It sticks to describing the alleged events and charges without overpromising information.
Missed opportunities to teach or guide: The article misses several chances to be useful. It could have explained best practices for securing a closed restaurant, internal controls to reduce employee theft risk, how to check whether a business is officially open, what employees should do if they encounter a forced entry, or a brief explanation of the legal significance of the listed charges. It also could have pointed readers to local law-enforcement resources or workplace-safety guidelines.
Practical, general guidance (what the article failed to provide): If you manage or work in a small food-service location, evaluate access control: make sure exterior doors lock reliably, set and test alarm systems, and restrict key or code access to necessary personnel only. Keep a simple change-control log for keys and access codes so you can track who has entry. Train staff about what to do if they encounter someone inside when the location is closed: avoid confrontation, call law enforcement immediately, and, if necessary, retreat to a safe area and secure themselves and customers. For customers, verify a business is open by checking posted hours, official websites, or calling ahead if anything seems off; avoid entering unlit or visibly unsecured establishments. For owners concerned about employee theft, use basic internal controls such as point-of-sale logs, regular cash reconciliations, and occasional independent inventory checks; visible security cameras and clear open/close procedures also deter misconduct. If you witness a break-in or violent confrontation, prioritize personal safety and call emergency services; provide law enforcement with clear descriptions and any available footage but do not attempt to intervene physically unless your safety is assured. These are commonsense, widely applicable steps that can reduce risk and help people respond more effectively if a similar incident occurs.
Bias analysis
"police say he broke into a Little Caesars restaurant twice and sold pizzas from the closed location."
This phrase uses "police say" to mark the claim as coming from police, not the narrator. It does not hide who made the claim. It frames the events as allegations, so it avoids claiming guilt as fact. The wording helps protect the speaker from asserting things the text cannot prove.
"The Kinston Police Department identified the suspect as 41-year-old Jonathon Hackett, a former employee of that store."
Calling him a "former employee" highlights a past connection to the store. This draws attention to insider access as a reason for the crime and may make readers see him as betraying trust. The phrase does not explain how that fact matters, so it can steer judgment without evidence.
"Police allege Hackett entered the building during the first break-in, prepared pizzas, sold them to customers who did not realize the store was closed, and kept the proceeds."
Using "allege" again marks these as accusations, but listing the sequence in one sentence creates a smooth narrative of intent and deliberate profit. That order makes the actions seem planned and purposeful, which strengthens the impression of guilt even while noting it's an allegation.
"Investigators say Hackett returned and again forced entry during a second incident, at which point employees inside the store tried to stop him and a physical confrontation occurred."
Saying "employees inside the store tried to stop him" frames employees as victims and defenders. This wording supports sympathy for staff and casts Hackett as aggressor without detailing what each side did first. It chooses a side by highlighting employees' resistance.
"Medical treatment was provided to Hackett following the altercation, and he was arrested after hospital release."
This states Hackett received medical care, which can soften the image of him being unwell or injured, yet the order places treatment before arrest, which may create a sense of due process. The sentence does not explain who sought treatment or why, leaving out context that could change how readers judge the incident.
"Charges listed by authorities include felony breaking and entering, felony obtaining property by false pretenses, felony larceny after breaking and entering, misdemeanor breaking and entering, and violating a city curfew."
Listing many charges in a compact series uses weight by number to make the case seem serious. The list format emphasizes severity and breadth of alleged crimes, which can bias readers to view him more harshly even though these are formal charges, not convictions.
"The police department confirmed the second break-in led directly to the arrest and said the case remains under investigation."
Saying the second break-in "led directly to the arrest" gives a clear causal link attributed to police. This phrase accepts the police account at face value and privileges their timeline, which supports the police perspective as authoritative without showing other sources.
"No employees suffered serious injuries according to the police report."
Attributing the injury claim to "the police report" keeps the statement as police-sourced, but presenting this as the only account could downplay other possible harms or perspectives. It frames the outcome as non-severe and reassures readers, favoring the police narrative.
Emotion Resonance Analysis
The text conveys a mix of controlled, mostly negative emotions that shape the reader’s response. A dominant emotion is alarm or concern, found in phrases like “broke into,” “forced entry,” “physical confrontation,” and “felony” charges. These words signal danger and illegal activity; their strength is moderate to strong because they describe criminal acts and legal consequences, and they serve to alert the reader to the seriousness of the events. Closely connected is suspicion or distrust, implied by “sold pizzas from the closed location,” “kept the proceeds,” and “obtaining property by false pretenses.” These descriptions cast the suspect’s actions as deceptive and self-serving; the emotional force is moderate and works to make the reader view the subject as dishonest. A sense of resolution or accountability appears through “arrested after hospital release,” “charges listed,” and “case remains under investigation.” This feeling is mild but purposeful: it reassures the reader that authorities acted and that legal processes are in motion, guiding the reader toward a sense that order is being restored. There is a calm note of relief or minimization of harm in “No employees suffered serious injuries,” which is a mild positive emotion that reduces fear and reassures readers about safety. The mention of medical treatment for the suspect introduces concern for well-being but in a neutral, factual way; that concern is low in intensity and serves to humanize the incident without evoking strong sympathy.
These emotions guide the reader’s reaction by framing the event primarily as a criminal incident that required police intervention, encouraging readers to feel wary and to trust law enforcement’s response. The alarm and distrust prompt readers to view the suspect negatively, while the notes about arrest and lack of serious injuries temper fear and foster confidence that the situation was contained. The balance of negative actions and procedural resolution nudges the reader toward seeing this as a resolved public-safety issue rather than an ongoing threat.
The writer uses specific word choices and factual sequencing to increase emotional impact without overtly dramatic language. Verbs such as “broke into,” “forced entry,” and “sold” are action-driven and carry stronger emotional weight than passive descriptions, steering attention to the suspect’s agency. Repetition of the idea that the suspect returned and committed a second break-in emphasizes persistence and escalation, making the actions seem more troubling. Legal terms like “felony” repeated in the list of charges amplify seriousness by invoking formal consequences. Including the detail that the suspect was a “former employee” adds a small personal element that suggests betrayal or abuse of trust, which intensifies negative judgment. The factual order—first describing the crime, then the attempted sale to unsuspecting customers, then a second, more confrontational incident, followed by arrest and investigation—creates a narrative arc that moves from wrongdoing to accountability, which channels the reader’s emotions from concern to reassurance. Overall, these tools subtly heighten concern about safety and integrity while guiding readers to accept the official response as appropriate.

