Over the past month, the Anson County Sheriff’s Office has investigated numerous cases of breaking and entering and larceny in the southern and western parts of the county, in which guns, electronic devices and jewelry were stolen, according to a statement released this week.

On Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016 around 11:30 am, North Carolina Department of Transportation employees were working in the southern part of Anson County, when they observed a suspicious white Ford Expedition back into a residence, deputies say.

The sheriff’s office was notified and responded to the area where they encountered two individuals at the residence. A deputy noticed that the residence had been broken into and located some of the property in the suspect’s vehicle, according to investigators. The two individuals — identified as 16-year-old Thomas Davis of Raeford and 24-year-old Eric Dewayne Woods of Red Springs — were taken into custody.

On Sept. 1, deputies say a search warrant was executed at a residence in Shannon (Robeson County) and some of the items recovered were linked back to crimes committed in Anson, Richmond, Robeson and Union counties

Woods is in custody in the Anson County Jail under a $800,000 secured bond on seven counts of breaking and entering, 12 counts of larceny of a firearm, seven counts of larceny after breaking and entering, seven counts of damage to property, and one count each of safecracking, possession of burglary tools and possession of a firearm by a felon. Woods also has charges in Richmond and Robeson County for similar crimes.

Davis is in custody in the Anson County Jail under a $500,000 secured bond on two counts of breaking and entering, 12 counts of larceny of a firearm, two counts of larceny after breaking and entering and one count each of possession of burglary tools and safecracking.

Deputies say they are both facing charges in Richmond and Robeson counties for similar crimes.

Online court records show Woods is facing three felony counts each of breaking and entering and larceny after breaking and entering, in addition to a single felony charge of larceny of a firearm in Richmond County.

Davis has no charges listed outside of Anson County.

“This investigation is still on-going and after locating stolen items from other counties, we are working currently working with the Hoke County, Richmond County, Samson County and Union County Sheriff’s Offices to try and identify any co-conspirators that may be involved,” Sheriff Reid said in a statement.

Records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction show Woods was given a 36-month suspended sentence in April after being convicted on felony charges of second-degree kidnapping, robbery with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering and larceny, as well as misdemeanor charges of assault with a deadly weapon and assault by pointing a gun in Hoke County.

Last year, Woods was given a 24-month suspended sentence when convicted of felony breaking and entering and larceny after breaking and entering in Robeson County.

His first conviction was in 2013 on a misdemeanor larceny charge in Hoke County.

All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

Woods
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_EricWoods.jpgWoods

Staff report