Lawmen say, during the past six months, 44-year-old Gregory Smith has committed a string of break-ins at downtown businesses, taking everything from a vacuum cleaner to bottles of wines. Several of the crimes have occurred while he has been out on bail.
Smith was charged Friday - he had been arrested the day before and released on bail - with breaking into Pee Wee's Auto Sales on Feb. 4 and stealing two high-voltage batteries. Smith also is accused of returning to the business the next day and stealing two sets of tires and rims.
Lumberton police Detective Kim Grant said Smith was out on bail when he was arrested last week.
Smith, of 105 Denver St., is back in jail under a $6,000 bond. He is charged with two felony counts of breaking and entering and two felony counts of larceny.
Grant had previously charged Smith with using an ashtray to break a window at the downtown restaurant Black Water Grille on Dec. 12. Smith was charged with stealing three bottles of wine worth about $40.
Grant charged him with felony breaking and entering and felony larceny. He was arrested Dec. 26 and released after he posted his $15,000 bail.
Police arrested Smith again in February and charged him with breaking into McDuffie Furniture at 418 N. Chestnut St. Grant said Smith stole $14 and a vacuum cleaner. Police found Smith walking with the vacuum cleaner a few blocks from the business. Smith was released on a $10,000 bail.
About a month later Grant arrested Smith was charged with breaking a glass window at Bryan's Repair Shop at 210 N. Chestnut St., a crime that dates to Sept. 8, 2005. Smith was released after he posted a $500 bail.
More recently, police arrested Smith and charged him breaking into the Vocational Rehabilitation building at 128 W. Fifth St. on April 13. Grant arrested him on April 20 and charged him with felony breaking and entering. Smith was released after he posted $1,000 bail, and then arrested the next day.
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