A Greenbrier County man was arrested on the afternoon of Wednesday, Dec. 23, following a string of alleged crimes dating back to Oct. 15. Joshua Howard McCormick, 34, of Westfield Dr. in Lewisburg has been charged with trespassing, possession, shoplifting, petit larceny, grand larceny and battery.
McCormick is being held in Southern Regional Jail on a $4,500 cash bond or surety.
On Tuesday, Nov. 10, West Virginia State Troopers were informed of several alleged thefts that had occurred at the Stop In/Shell Station in Fairlea. Management at the location advised troopers that a female employee had, on four separate occasions between Oct. 15 and Oct. 20, stolen funds from the cash register totaling $190.
According to the criminal complaint, surveillance footage dated Oct. 15 allegedly shows the employee committing the theft, as well as a male carrying a backpack, identified as Joshua McCormick, enter the store through the front door. McCormick is seen taking two cartons of Marlboro cigarettes, valued at $132.56, and exiting through the back of the store.
Management further advised troopers that the female employee was subsequently terminated on Oct. 27.
On the following Tuesday, Nov. 17, officers were dispatched to a residence within the Cedar Knolls Trailer Park in Fairlea in response to reports of an assault. The owner of the residence advised officers that McCormick had entered his home without his permission and refused to leave. According to the criminal complaint, an argument began between McCormick and the victim, which eventually led to a physical altercation.
The complaint further states that McCormick struck the victim with his fists, knocking him over a table and causing injury. The victim was taken to the Greenbrier Valley Medical Center for treatment.
The next alleged incident occurred 10 days later, on Nov. 27. Greenbrier County Deputies were dispatched to the Wal-Mart store in Lewisburg in response to reports of two individuals who were attempting to shoplift. Upon arrival, deputies successfully detained a female suspect. However, the male suspect initially evaded the deputies.
According to the criminal complaint, the female suspect identified the male suspect as “Sid Mitchell”.
Deputies successfully apprehended the male suspect and accurately identified him as McCormick. In his possession, McCormick had a backpack allegedly filled with stolen Wal-Mart merchandise. The total value of the stolen merchandise was $532.39. During his detainment, McCormick was also found to be in possession of buprenorphine, a schedule III controlled substance.
Three weeks later, on Monday, Dec. 21, Greenbrier County Sheriff’s officers responded to Dave’s Towing in Fairlea to investigate an alleged vehicle theft. The vehicle, a 2010 Ford Ranger, had been stolen from the lot on Seneca Trail South in the early-morning hours of Sunday, Dec. 20.
According to the criminal complaint, officers were able to track the vehicle through the use of a locator device previously placed inside by the rightful owner. On Wednesday, Dec. 23, officers located the vehicle parked on Phillips Cemetery Rd. near Alderson. The complaint states that the truck had been painted gray. A handwritten “bill of sale” was also found with the vehicle that stated that McCormick and “Robbie Butler” had purchased the truck from “John Daniels” for $1,000.
Officers were able to locate both McCormick and Butler at a nearby residence. The two men, along with a female, were found in a camper down the road from where the stolen truck had been found.
McCormick stated that he had bought the truck, and, according to officers, “would not change his story.”
The complaint states that Butler and the female both advised officers that McCormick had stolen the truck. Further statements were provided to officers indicating that McCormick had, in fact, stolen the truck from the lot at Dave’s Towing, removed the bed-cap at a residence in Crawley and spray painted the vehicle gray. The cap was recovered by officers at said address. The approximate value of the truck is $4,000.
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