IFN Staff

A Statesville man faces a dozen felony charges in connection with the theft of work tools and fraudulent use of credit cards following an investigation by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Darren Campbell announced the arrest of James Lanier Smith Jr., 60, of no fixed address in a news release Thursday. 

The Sheriff’s Office began investigating on March 19 after receiving a report from a local business owner regarding the theft of several thousand dollars worth of tools from a work vehicle parked on Shinnville Road in southeastern Iredell County, Campbell said.

The victim also reported that business credit cards left inside the vehicle had been stolen and used to make multiple fraudulent purchases at various locations, according to the news release.

The case was assigned to Detective T. Henderson. Through the course of the investigation, Detective Henderson identified Smith as the suspect.

Smith, who was an employee of the victim, was the only individual with access to the vehicle at the time of the theft, according to the news release.

Additional evidence gathered by Detective Henderson confirmed that Smith was responsible for the fraudulent use of the stolen credit cards, Campbell said.

Arrest warrants were issued charging Smith with Felony Larceny, five counts of Felony Identity Theft, and six counts of Felony Obtaining Property by False Pretenses. Smith was located and arrested on March 21.

He was transported to the Iredell County Detention Center, where he was issued a $75,000 secured bond by Magistrate Russell.