Sheriff Darren Campbell stated that the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office received two reports of a car breaking, entering, and larceny. These incidents occurred at two addresses on Fifth Creek Road in mid-September. In both of these incidents victims reported various items stolen to include a 9mm pistol, Garman GPS, Flashlight, checks and various other items. The total value of the property stolen from both vehicles was listed at approximately $820.00 dollars.
Around the same time a victim on Clarence Lane Statesville reported that he was alerted by his bank that three checks had been cashed. The victim was told that two of the checks were cashed at a bank in Catawba County and one was cashed at a local business on Old Mountain Road.
Detectives began an investigation into the matter and obtained video footage from the location where the stolen checks had been cashed. Detectives were able to develop a suspect, Jeffrey Shane Edward Bales of Fifth Creek Road. Detectives also learned that one of the checks stolen from the Fifth Creek Road case was also cashed within just a few days of the other stolen checks.
During the course of the investigation Detectives found that Bales was out on bond for a Breaking and Entering case where he was charged on August 20th, 2015 on Arey Road Statesville. In this incident Bales broke into a family member’s house while they were out of town through a window. During this incident Deputies arrived at the house while Bales was still inside the house, and he was arrested without incident. Bales received a $2,000.00 secured bond and has a pending court date for this charge on November 20th, 2015 in District Court in Mooresville.
Detectives have charged Jeffrey Shane Edward Bales with additional charges which are two counts of Felony Breaking and Entering a Motor Vehicle, one count of Larceny of a Firearm, three Counts of Misdemeanor Larceny, and 4 counts of Felony Obtaining Property by False Pretense. Bales was arrested on these most recent charges and taken before Magistrate Pat Gaskin who set a $40,000.00 dollar unsecured bond. Bales was released from jail with his signature agreeing to appear in court. Bales now has a pending court date in Statesville in District Court in addition to his prior dates.