ROCKINGHAM — Investigators with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office say a Hoffman man unlawfully took six vehicles and sold three of them, netting nearly $800 within two weeks.

According to court documents, 42-year-old Jamie Anthony Arco, of Glider Road, took a 2000 Dodge Dakota, a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer, a 2004 Mercury Mountaineer, a 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix and a 1998 Toyota Avalon, all between Jan. 11 and 22.

Warrants show the Trailblazer, Grand Prix and Mountaineer were all the property of Quick’s Auto Sales and that the latter two were sold to MP&H Recyclers LLC for $211.77 and $286, respectively, without permission to commit the transaction.

According to an affidavit, Arco picked up a vehicle from a victim’s home in Hartsville, South Carolina, with an agreement to rebuild the transmission for $1,000. The victim said Arco requested an upfront payment of $500, allegedly to purchase parts, with the remainder being due after the work was complete in two to three days.

The victim said Arco sent a text on Jan. 13 saying there was a problem. When the victim called, Acro allegedly said “it was the wrong transmission for the truck (and) wanted me to wire him money.”

The victim refused and asked for the address of the shop “so I could come down and see what he was talking about.” With no response after three requests, the victim “did some digging” and found the location.

The following day, the victim went to Rockingham to check on the vehicle and discovered no work had been done and said Arco “became more (and) more frustrated” with each question.

The make and model of the vehicle mentioned in the affidavit is not given and the victim’s name doesn’t match those on any of the warrants.

Arco was arrested Jan. 25 and charged with five counts of larceny of a motor vehicle, three counts of possession of stolen goods or property and two counts of obtaining property by false pretenses.

Four days later, he was charged with additional counts of felony larceny and obtaining property by false pretenses for allegedly taking a TrailMaster utility vehicle and selling it for $300 on Jan. 19.

Arco was booked into the Richmond County Jail under a total $27,500 secured bond and was released on bail Jan. 30. Records show he has court appearances scheduled for Feb. 15 and March 22.

Records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction show Arco has no previous convictions in the state.

All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Reach editor William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 or [email protected].

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By William R. Toler

Editor