STATESVILLE, N.C. — James Lanier Smith Jr., a 60-year-old unhoused man, was arrested on March 21 for felony larceny and multiple counts of identity theft and obtaining property by false pretenses.
The arrest followed an investigation by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office into the theft of tools and fraudulent use of business credit cards from a vehicle parked on Shinnville Road in Cleveland, North Carolina. The crimes occurred between February 19 and March 19.
Sheriff Darren Campbell said detectives identified Smith as the suspect, noting that he was the only person with access to the vehicle at the time of the theft.
The investigation revealed that several thousand dollars’ worth of tools were stolen from the work vehicle, and the business credit cards were used to make fraudulent purchases at various locations.
Smith was an employee of the victim, which gave him access to the vehicle where the theft occurred. Evidence collected by Detective Henderson confirmed Smith’s involvement in the fraudulent activities.
Smith was issued a $75,000 secured bond and has a criminal history that includes felony larceny in Florida and multiple traffic violations in North Carolina.
Smith remains in custody at the Iredell County Detention Center as the investigation continues.
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