By Amelia A. Pridemore
A Raleigh County man faces robbery, grand larceny and conspiracy charges after state troopers and county sheriff’s detectives say he stole wedding rings — one worth more than $11,000 — from department store sales associates
Cameron Martin Taylor, 21, of Shady Spring, was being held at Southern Regional Jail on $250,000 bond after being arrested Tuesday night and arraigned Wednesday morning. He is being held in lieu of $250,000 bond.
Trooper 1st Class C.H. Mitchell said he and Senior Trooper H.D. Stone were told Dec. 1 that a man had come to the jewelry counter at Sears at Crossroads Mall and asked to see a wedding ring set. The sales associate presented the rings, and he asked to see another ring. He then grabbed the associate’s hand, took the ring from her and fled the store.
Other employees followed the suspect out of the store, Mitchell said. They were able to get a description of his car and a license plate number. The troopers were later told the license plate was not issued to any vehicle.
Later, the troopers learned the Raleigh Sheriff’s Department was investigating a similar incident at J.C. Penney at the mall where a male suspect with a similar description stole a ring from a sales associate.
Sheriff’s Detective Cpl. J.C. Canaday said the suspect fled J.C. Penney with a 1.5-carat diamond ring worth more than $11,000.
During the joint investigation, Mitchell said, the officers developed a suspect: Taylor. Store employees identified him from photo line-ups.
Tuesday night, troopers executed a search warrant at Oakmont Greene Apartments in Bradley, where Taylor had been staying. Mitchell said information obtained and a confession from Taylor solved the crimes.
Evidence also linked him to multiple home burglaries the sheriff’s department is investigating.
