The Mountaineer

Suspects arrested in break-in spree

Written by Beth Pleming

Sunday, 11 October 2009 17:57

Haywood County Sheriff’s detectives have taken into custody four Canton men who they believe are responsible for a rash of motor vehicle breaks-ins. Dominick Delegge, Joseph Anthony McCoy, Michael Edward Curry III, each 18, and Vincent Travis Tucker, 22, face multiple felony charges stemming from a string of vehicle break-ins that occurred throughout the county between Sept. 22 and Oct. 6. During that time, at least nine vehicles were broken into, various items taken. Each car was left unlocked, detectives said. “Their MO was looking for unlocked cars, and taking anything they could grab and go with: purses, wallets, handbags, any type of satchel — things they could grab easily,” said Det. Shawn Gaddis, who worked the case with Det. Tony Cope, both with the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office. Waynesville, Canton and Lake Junaluska law enforcement also assisted. Detectives used a vehicle description to track and ultimately identify the four suspects taken into custody last week. Among the items taken from cars was at least one ATM card, which the suspects attempted to use at various Waynesville locations, Gaddis said. Bank surveillance footage identified the suspect vehicle as a dark-colored, early 2000 model Jeep Grand Cherokee. “Based on that, we started looking for a vehicle fitting that description, possibly on lake grounds, or on the campus of Haywood Com-munity College, where several of the break-ins occurred,” Gaddis said. “That (vehicle) was our main point of interest.” On Oct. 6, Gaddis and Cope were patrolling the grounds at Lake Junaluska when a Grand Cherokee matching the description of the suspect vehicle passed the detective’s car driving in the wrong direction, said Cope. After conducting a traffic stop and finding items of interest inside the vehicle, Delegge, who was driving the Jeep at that time, was taken into police custody a short time later and confined to jail. Items discovered in the Jeep upon Delegge’s arrest led detectives to believe he had just committed a break-in. “We were within a few minutes of catching them in the car,” said Gaddis. Throughout the course of the ensuing investigation, detectives were able to identify Tucker, McCoy and Curry as suspects to some of the same alleged break-ins. The three were taken into police custody days after Delegge, later released under unsecured bond. The four men face various felony charges each stemming from the alleged break-in of at least ten cars. Charges include multiple counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle, larceny, financial card theft and obtaining money by false pretenses. Canton Police De-partment also has charges pending against Delegge stemming from an alleged motor vehicle break-in that occurred in Canton.   It is uncertain at this time how many charges the men will face. As detectives continue to piece elements of the crimes together, they will determine the total number of charges to be filed against each suspect. While Delegge is considered the criminal mastermind behind the operation, detectives said it is likely he will face the greatest number of charges.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 11 November 2009 18:57