Arrest is made in weekend break-in
By Laura Collins
Published in News on September 28, 2010 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/BOBBY WILLIAMS
Wayne County Sheriff's Office investigators Rick Farfour, left, and Mike Kabler escort Brent Mannis to the Sheriff's Office for processing Monday.
The Wayne County Sheriff's Office has arrested the suspect it believes broke into the Wayne County Courthouse Friday night.
Brent Mannis, 27, whose last known address was N.C. 58 North in Trenton, was charged Monday with felony breaking and entering, felony larceny and felonious possession of stolen goods. He is being held in the Lenoir County Jail under a $30,000 bond.
Sheriff's Office Detective Sgt. Michael Kabler said Mannis was picked up from the Lenoir County Jail where was being held after being arrested Saturday on an outstanding warrant.
Mannis told investigators he was on his way to the Goldsboro Police Department Friday evening because he had something to report. Instead, he "saw the big doors" of the courthouse and headed in that direction instead. The doors of the courthouse were technically locked, but one of the doors was not closed all the way, so Mannis was able to enter the courthouse.
From there, Mannis allegedly went from room to room making piles of items he wanted to take, and even moved some of the piles outside the courthouse, Kabler said. But that appears to be as far as it got.
"After he made the piles, it crossed his mind that he didn't have anywhere to put it," Kabler said.
Kabler added that Mannis does not have a vehicle and is likely homeless.
Investigators believe that Mannis didn't actually take any items with him when he left, but that simply moving the items from one place to another warrants the charges.
Wayne County Sheriff Carey Winders again reiterated that the break-in is not related to any ongoing trials at the courthouse.
"There is not any connection to any cases," he said. "We've ruled that out."
The break-in was discovered just after 5 a.m. Saturday when Assistant District Attorney Mike Ricks came in to do some paperwork.