Sheriff Darren E. Campbell stated:  On Thursday December 21, 2017 at 6:30 am, deputies with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the area of 400 Fort Dobbs Road Statesville, in reference to a breaking and entering taking place. When the deputies arrived on scene, they located John Michael Rickert inside the home. Rickert had been loading items from the residence onto a utility trailer near the residence.

The suspect was arrested on scene and members of the Criminal Investigations Unit were called to the location. Investigators located numerous items of landscaping materials which did not belong at the residence according to the homeowner near the trailer.

Evidence and further investigation led investigators to discover the trailer and landscaping items had been stolen from Southern States Cooperative located at 3213 Taylorsville Road Statesville. The trailer and items recovered were valued at approximately 2000.00 dollars.

John Michael Rickert was transported to the Iredell County Detention Center where he was charged with the following crimes: Two Counts of Felony Breaking and Entering, Two Counts of Larceny after the Breaking and Entering, Possession of Stolen Property and Possession of Burglary Tools. Rickert was placed under a 37,000.00 dollars secured bond.