Burglar released from jail hours after arrest

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A suspect arrested in three Dilworth burglaries is already out of jail -- no comfort to victims and police who say the revolving door at the jail is frustrating and demoralizing.

Ernest Hill is an example. Police arrested and charged him with burglary Friday for allegedly breaking into a couple of homes in Dilworth.

"If it's a bad guy, we're going to get him off the street," said Sgt. Dave Nowlan.

But off the street for how long? Jail records show Hill was booked at 4:48 p.m. and out of jail at 11:08 p.m. the same night.

"It's very frustrating," Nowlan said.

To the point that he says morale and motivation are issues, especially with younger officers.

"It's very disheartening because they look at what they're doing as sort of, 'I'm just kind of wasting my time out here,'" he said.

Records prove the point:

In October 2007 Hill was arrested for cocaine possession, booked at 3:17 and released at 5:39.

In October 2006, he was arrested for hit-and-run, cocaine possession and communicating threats. He was booked at 11:55 and released at 3.

"Literally before you get done and the case is papered and everything, he's out, gone and he's back out here doing it again," Nowlan said.

Other times Hill spent two to 12 days in jail.

"We're going to put them in jail. We're going to put them in the court system and we expect the other half of the system to step up to the plate," Nowlan said.

That's something homeowners/victims say just isn't happening. Police say it's not uncommon for a busy burglar to hit 100 houses a month.