Salisbury man charged with kidnapping and robbery

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, December 2, 2009

By Sara Gregory
Salisbury Post
Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Salisbury man wanted for kidnapping and robbery early Thursday morning at his home.
Brian Eugene Sifford, 31, is accused of forcing a woman to drive him to Charlotte by threatening her at gunpoint.
Sifford also is believed to be responsible for two convenience store break-ins.
He now faces a charge of kidnapping and two charges of robbery with a dangerous weapon and is being held under a $125,000 bond at Rowan County Detention Center.
“We’ve been looking for him,” Sheriff’s Capt. John Sifford said. “It really felt like he was going to keep committing crimes until he was caught.”
The kidnapping incident happened sometime between April 5 and 7, Capt. Sifford said.
James Schmierer, East Spencer’s interim police chief, said Brian Sifford allegedly flagged down a motor vehicle and made the woman inside drive him to Charlotte, where he released her.
Police arrested Brian Sifford about 1 a.m. Thursday after someone alerted them that Sifford was at his mother’s 608 Elm St. home. When deputies arrived after midnight, he was hiding on the floor in a bedroom, Capt. Sifford said.
Brian Sifford has a lengthy criminal history that includes larceny of a motor vehicle, assaults on females, credit card fraud and drug possession, according to Department of Correction records.
Salisbury police also are investigating another possible kidnapping related to Brian Sifford, but no charges have been filed.
Contact Sara Gregory at 704-797-4257 or sgregory@salisburypost.com.