Car theft victim arrested after cops recover vehicle and look inside, NC sheriff says

A man’s vehicle was stolen from a grocery store parking lot in North Carolina, but he’s the one who ended up in jail, according to investigators.

It happened Jan. 19 in Raeford, 90 miles southwest of Raleigh, and the victim got into trouble after suspicious items were found in the vehicle.

“The victim of the larceny ... advised that the vehicle was stolen from the IGA on S. Main Street, when he went inside to purchase some items,” the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office reported in a Jan. 26 news release.

“The vehicle was located at Red Springs Road and Cope Road by Hoke County Deputies and a traffic stop was conducted.”

Investigators say the car was stopped about 7.5 miles south of where the theft occurred, and the victim arrived soon after and confirmed it was his vehicle.

That’s when deputies pointed out marijuana was “in plain view” inside the vehicle, along with an unlabeled bottle of pills, officials said.

The owner “advised that the marijuana in plain view was his,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Narcotics detectives identified the pills as oxycodone (and) the weight of the pills was 42 grams. After speaking with all parties involved, (the car owner) was placed under arrest and transported to the Hoke County jail,” the sheriff’s office said.

He was charged with trafficking a Schedule II controlled substance and simple possession of marijuana, and “given no bond, due to pending drug related charges,” the sheriff’s office said.

Details of an arrest in connection with the vehicle theft were not released.

This story was originally published January 29, 2024 at 11:30 AM with the headline "Car theft victim arrested after cops recover vehicle and look inside, NC sheriff says."