RICHMOND COUNTY — A Rockingham man is being accused of multiple business break-ins across the county.
Officers with the Rockingham Police Department responded to an alarm at Cosmos on East Broad Avenue around 3:57 a.m. on March 23. When they arrived, they found damage to a rear door and entered the building.
During a search, officers located a man later identified as Zackery Reaves, 36, of Rockingham, hiding inside. He resisted arrest but was taken into custody without further incident. Items believed to have been used in the break-in were recovered.
About an hour earlier, officers had responded to a similar alarm at Maytag Laundromat, where damage was also reported. Investigators later linked Reaves to additional break-ins reported March 21 at Granny’s Donuts and Mama Noi’s. Officials said forced entry was made and cash, registers and food items were taken in those cases.
Authorities said Reaves is also connected to break-ins at Food Lion on East Broad Avenue and Dollar General on Greene Street. Over the past two months, detectives have investigated a series of similar incidents involving forced entry and theft.
Reaves faces multiple charges, including breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, possession of stolen goods, possession of burglary tools and injury to real property. He was given a $180,000 secured bond and placed in the Richmond County Jail. His court date is scheduled for April 9. The investigation remains ongoing and additional charges may be filed.
In a separate case, deputies responded early March 22 to a report of gunfire near Earl Franklin Drive in Dobbins Heights around 12:46 a.m. A caller said they saw a blue vehicle leaving the area with what appeared to be a long gun.
A deputy later spotted a vehicle on Highway 177 and attempted a traffic stop after discovering the license plate did not match the vehicle. Authorities said the driver accelerated, ran several stop signs and continued onto multiple streets before reaching a dead end on Morrow Street.
The driver, identified as Shelton La-kie Dewayne Griffin, 47, of Rockingham, exited the moving vehicle, which then struck a tree, and fled into nearby woods. After a brief foot pursuit, Griffin fell and surrendered.
Griffin was charged with fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, resisting a public officer, driving while license revoked, using a fictitious or altered registration and failing to heed a light or siren. He was booked into the Richmond County Jail under a $25,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court April 2. Officials said there was no evidence linking Griffin to the initial report of gunfire.