A North Carolina man is currently in jail after police have accused him of thefts in the Greensboro area. The 22-year-old man allegedly took a variety of firearms and ammunition — among other items — belonging to the police and military. Police claim to have evidence showing the man breaking and entering into vehicles and stealing the items.
According to police, the man stole handguns, holsters, magazines with rounds of ammunition, a rifle light, Taser, military helmet, ballistic vest, an ammo patch and military field gear. The man faces 41 charges in total, including felony larceny, breaking and entering and possessing stolen goods. Most of the thefts occurred in May and June, but some occurred last year as well.
The man’s criminal history of breaking and entering goes back to 2011, when he faced felony charges. He received community service and probation for those charges. Last year, he again received probation and community service for trespassing.
As with any criminal case, it’s important to remember that a person accused of a crime is innocent until proven guilty. The man has not been convicted of any charges yet, so there is still a possibility that he might not be involved with the alleged thefts.
In many theft cases, police will try to link a person to other similar theft crimes in the area. Sometimes, this is done unfairly, causing an innocent person to be charged with crimes he or she did not do. In addition, police will sometimes go too far in their quest to arrest someone and violate a person’s constitutional rights along the way. That’s why it’s important for those accused of larceny to have a solid defense.
Source: Winston-Salem Journal, “Man faces 41 charges in thefts of firearms, police armor,” June 29, 2014.