Police search for thief
By John Joyce
Published in News on April 22, 2015 1:46 PM
Maxway store manager Sherry Daly said she has replaced three store front windows at the downtown business -- broken into five times since December -- and increased the number of security cameras inside the store.
The criminals, undeterred, return time and time again.
The store, located at 125 S. Center St., was broken into again Sunday when a brick was used to smash a window and three televisions were stolen from inside the business.
Ms. Daly said the Goldsboro Police Department is trying its best to catch the person responsible. But, she said the city's Center Street Streetscape project has created prime conditions for the criminals to keep doing what they have been and getting away with it.
"I think the problem is with the construction in front of the store. The previous break-ins were while the road was closed," she said. "Now, the street light in front of my store is still not working. They said it would be working by tomorrow, but I don't know."
Ms. Daly said she could recall no similar incidents prior to the street renovations.
Investigators believe the same suspect is responsible for all of the break-ins.
"A window is broken and then the suspect enters and steals flat screen televisions," Capt. Dwayne Dean said.
Dean is the acting-major in charge of the Goldsboro Police Department Criminal Investigations Division.
He said area checks have been increased and are being conducted regularly.
"Officers were in the downtown area (Sunday) night on another call when the alarm activated, but were not able to apprehend anyone at that time," Dean said.
The police department recommended Maxway increase its number of security cameras, which Ms. Daly said she did to no avail.
She said neighboring businesses have not had any issues similar to the break-ins her business has endured, but they have tried to pitch in to help catch the suspect.
"One of my neighbors lives in the apartment above their business and has been trying to catch the guy. He has chased him two or three times, but the guy is too fast," she said.
Dean said additional surveillance video is being reviewed. Still images from security camera footage recorded during previous break-ins were released to the public to no avail.