By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — After a man told authorities two weeks ago that taking a Rockwell man’s truck was a misunderstanding, Rowan County Sheriff’s deputies unfurled an additional seven felony charges against the 24-year-old for scrap metal theft.
Jeremy Michael Thomas, of 125 Mallard Lane, told officers on Feb. 21 that he and 30-year-old Bryant Chase-Evan Casey took a truck parked in a yard at 1155 Deer Valley Lane after paying the believed-to-be owner.
Investigators spoke with the truck’s owner; Thomas and Casey cooperated, turning themselves in and being cited for misdemeanor larceny.
On Tuesday, deputies arrested Thomas and searched the Mallard Lane home.
According to arrest warrants from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, Thomas broke into a storage building on Phaniels Church Road between late December and early January. Investigators believe he took $900 in vehicle parts and accessories.
Thomas is also accused of stealing three bus tires and rims, two trailer hitch accessories and a truck motor from a Mallard Lane neighbor. The parts were valued at $1,300.
Authorities also implicated Thomas in a theft that landed accused co-conspirator Casey in jail. Both have now been charged with stealing more than $7,000 in farming tools from a second neighbor and attempting to later sell them to an Old Beatty Ford Road man.
When investigators raided the home earlier this week, deputies said they found drug paraphernalia and a syringe containing heroin.
Authorities charged Thomas with felony breaking and entering, four counts of felony larceny, felony obtaining property by false pretenses, felony possession of heroin and misdemeanor larceny.
He was given a $75,000 bond.
Casey was released after posting bond last month.
He is scheduled for court on March 7 on charges of felony obtaining property by false pretense, two counts of felony larceny and two counts of misdemeanor larceny.
Contact reporter Nathan Hardin at 704-797-4246.
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