Battery thefts spike
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on July 12, 2017 5:50 AM
In the past week, local law enforcement has seen a spike in reports of battery thefts from local businesses and organizations.
Wayne County Public Schools, an automotive repair business and a local salvage yard have all recently filed reports with both the Goldsboro Police Department and Wayne County Sheriff's Office of batteries being stolen.
Michael Eugene Barnes Jr., 39, of 302 Wooten Ave., Stantonsburg, allegedly stole about 50 batteries and four catalytic converters from Green's Auto Salvage on N.C. 222 on May 11.
Barnes then reportedly returned to the business twice more in the following two months to try and steal again. Employees of the business were waiting on him both times.
They reportedly caught him in the act on May 16, confronting him and calling 911, but he eluded capture.
The man then allegedly returned July 10, and employees tipped off the Sheriff's Office.
Deputies staked out the area, pulling him over in a Ford Taurus as he drove away from the business and recovered stolen batteries and motor vehicle parts valued at $1,435 from the car.
Barnes is charged with two counts of felony larceny, two counts of possession of stolen goods and first-degree trespassing.
He was put in the Wayne County Detention Center under a $13,500 secured bond.
Maya Lamont Arline, 40, of 712 Slaughter St., is accused of stealing 26 batteries from school buses belonging to Wayne County Public Schools.
He is charged with seven counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle, seven counts of felonious larceny and one count of obtaining property by false pretense.
Arline was also charged in a separate theft that happened on Arrington Bridge Road.
Another report of batteries being stolen from public school buses was filed Monday.
The report said six batteries were stolen from activity buses parked at Southern Wayne High School.
According to the report, the buses were last known to be secure June 23, and the batteries were discovered stolen when a teacher went to start an activity bus and it would not start.
From there, the teacher notified the principal, according to the report.
The report said a deputy and the principal then went and checked the buses, and found more batteries had been stolen.
There are no suspects in the case at this time, the report said.
In addition to that report, a report was filed Monday with the Goldsboro Police Department about nine batteries being stolen from Kenon Automotive Repair at 1412 N. William St. in the past two weeks.
The report said the batteries were taken from several vehicles at the business, and they were all last known to be secure on June 30.
In that reported battery theft, several of the vehicles were also damaged.
While arrests have been made in two of the cases, two of them remain unsolved.
Anyone with information about these crimes, or any other crime in Wayne County is asked to call or text Crime Stoppers at 919-735-2255 or submit a TIP at p3tips.com.
Callers will remain anonymous and if your information leads to a felony arrest you will be given a cash reward for the information.