Bryan Stewart

Richmond County Daily Journal

Hamlet police think they may have solved a rash of burglary cases with the arrest of a 55-year-old Hamlet man.

Bruce Bailey, Clark Street, was charged with more than 40 counts of felony breaking and entering, felony larceny after breaking and entering and felony injury to property.

Bailey is charged with break ins on Entwistle Street, Marlboro Street, High Street, Park Street, Bauersfeld Street, Austin Street, McDonald Avenue and Hylan Avenue in Hamlet. All of the crimes occurred between October and January, according to Det. Steele with the Hamlet Police Department.

The Hamlet Police Department reports $18,000 in property was removed from the homes and damages exceeded $2,100.

In an attempt to serve Bailey with a warrant, officers and detectives stopped a vehicle which Bailey is known to use on Clark Street. Bailey was not in the vehicle, but his girlfriend’s son was driving the car at the time, according to Steele.

The vehicle was stopped near Bailey’s home.

According to Steele, before officials arrived at his home, Bailey jumped out the back window and ran into a patch of woods between Boyd Lake Road and Hamlet City Lake.

Deputies and K-9 units with the sheriff’s office followed Bailey’s scent and Hamlet Police officers set up a perimeter from Fifth Street near Boyd Lake Road to Hwy. 74.

Following tracks left in the snow by Bailey, officers were able to follow him along the shoreline of City Lake near the Hamlet VFW.

According to Steele, officers searching the scene later spotted Bailey running north through a rail yard.

He was arrested Feb. 1 without incident.

“The investigation is on going,” Steele said.

There is no word of any other suspects in the case.

Bailey is being held in the Richmond County Jail under a $50,000 bond.

Staff writer Bryan Stewart can be reached at 997-3111 ext. 15 or by e-mail at bstewart@yourdailyjournal.com.