An Elizabethton man faces multiples charges after police say he committed a string of car burglaries over the course of two days last week.
Officers of the Elizabethton Police Department arrested Larry Edwards Stapleton Jr., 23, of 431 W. G St., Apt. 4, on Friday and charged him with four counts of burglary of a motor vehicle, three counts of theft from a motor vehicle, one count of attempted burglary of a motor vehicle and one count of attempted theft from a motor vehicle.
Stapleton appeared in General Sessions Court on Monday where he was arraigned on the charges. Judge Keith Bowers set Stapleton’s bond at $5,000 and ordered him to return to court with an attorney on August 28. Following his court appearance on Monday, Stapleton posted bond and was released from the Carter County Detention Center.
Police charged Stapleton with a series of car burglaries that occurred during the late night hours on Thursday and on Friday in a city neighborhood.
Residents in the 400 Block of West G Street, 400 block of McQueen Street, 500 block of West C Street, 500 block of West D Street and 200 block of South Lynn Avenue all reported their vehicles had been entered and in some cases items were taken.
Among the items reported stolen were an iPad, a wallet, a knife, loose change and prescription medication.
Stapleton was arrested on Friday when officers received a report of a car burglary that had just occurred and a witness was able to provide a description of the suspect. Officers spotted a man matching the description given by the witness in the 400 block of West G Street. The man, later identified as Stapleton, was positively identified by the witness as the person they saw getting into a vehicle on McQueen Street, EPD Capt. Joy Shoun said.
When officers questioned Stapleton about the burglary, he admitted he had committed the burglary on McQueen Street as well as previous auto burglaries in the area the night before, Shoun said.