ASHEVILLE, NC - A 60-year-old man out of North Carolina is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say he went on an evening crime spree earlier in July, allegedly involving a clothing store heist, the theft of a delivery truck, and a standoff with authorities in Asheville.
Local authorities out of Asheville say the crime spree allegedly carried out by 60-year-old Harold Rogers Jr. began at approximately 5:00 p.m. on July 9 at a boutique clothing store called Vida by Vivian. Asheville Police claim Rogers locked the front entrance of the business before assaulting an employee and making off with jewelry after a failed bid to rob the establishment of cash, later tying up the employee before fleeing.
Shortly after the alleged robbery, authorities say Rogers set his sights on a nearby FedEx delivery truck, stealing the vehicle before ultimately crashing into another vehicle near the intersection of Coxe and Short Coxe Avenues. Asheville Police Captain Joseph Silberman noted that surveillance footage from inside the clothing boutique and the FedEx delivery truck appeared to show the same suspect, leading to police establishing a perimeter to locate and apprehend the suspect.
Following the vehicle collision, authorities say Rogers fled into a nearby neighborhood where he allegedly forced his way into the apartment of an elderly woman near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Mountain Street. Captain Silberman told members of the press, “We had detectives out canvassing the area. They found more people to point the way, and we cornered him at an apartment where he forced his way inside against the resident's will.”
Authorities say Rogers was reportedly familiar with the resident inside of the aforementioned apartment and did not harm the occupant during the incident. A standoff ensued outside of the apartment, with police successful in convincing Rogers to surrender without further incident.
While authorities concede Rogers wasn’t armed during the alleged crime spree, he reportedly threatened the victims with one he claimed to have had on his person, leading to charges of robbery with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping, and assault with additional charges likely to be added pending further investigation.
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