A Weare man was arrested Sunday afternoon after neighbors said he aimed his hunting rifle at them, the police said.

Witnesses told the police that Keith Keene, 38, of Grace Drive had been lurking around his road with a rifle, according to the Weare police. The police were called after Keene allegedly pointed his scope and rifle at two people working in a yard and walked toward them. One of the people ran behind a truck to take cover, while the other ran to his house to call 911, the police said.

"There's been an ongoing issue up there it appears," said Lt. James Carney of the Weare police.

The police found Keene at home, and he was charged with reckless conduct and criminal threatening, both felonies. He was also charged with possession of a controlled drug after the police found marijuana in his pocket, the police said. Officers obtained a search warrant and found in his home a Marlin .22 rifle with a scope attached, the police said.

Keene was arraigned yesterday and was being held at the Hillsborough County Department of Corrections on $50,000 cash bail, according to the police. Carney said the police had asked the judge to set bail at that level because "we're concerned that could be a potential problem up there."