By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
ROCKWELL — A Rockwell man was arrested after the owner of stolen fishing gear noticed it on display in a local pawn shop and identified a suspect.
According to a Rowan County Sheriff’s Office report, Robert Bryan Braswell, 34, was arrested Monday.
Braswell, 207 Brown St., was charged with felony obtaining property by false pretense after authorities say he sold the fishing equipment to Reliable Pawn Shop, 107 Mooresville Road.
Braswell has not been charged with stealing the equipment.
According to a Rowan County Sheriff’s Office report, David Blakely first notified authorities in April that his 1235 Panther Point Road, Richfield, home had been broken into on Dec. 29, 2010, and his fishing equipment had been stolen.
Blakely reported Monday that he recognized three fishing rods at Reliable Pawn that had disappeared from his home in December.
The report said Blakely thought Robert Braswell may have taken the fishing equipment and asked the pawn shop owner if Braswell was the person that sold the equipment to him.
The owner said Braswell did sell it to him, the report said. It’s unclear what relationship Braswell had to Blakely.
Deputies obtained warrants and charged Braswell Monday. He was given a $5,000 bond and was in jail as of Tuesday afternoon.
Braswell was convicted in 2008 of misdemeanor larceny. He was convicted in 2004 of felony breaking and entering.