Holly Ridge Break-ins

A suspected thief may have gotten away Thursday morning, but because of an observant Holly Ridge police officer, the suspect had to leave his haul from more than a dozen Rock Creek area break-ins behind.

There were 14 reported break-ins late Wednesday and early Thursday morning in the Rock Creek community, said Capt. Rick Sutherland of the Onslow County Sheriff's Department.

The suspect - later identified by police as South Carolina resident Anthony Sumpter - also is believed to have stolen two motor vehicles and to have abandoned them in the same area, Sutherland said.

After leaving the Rock Creek community, Sumpter stopped in Holly Ridge, where his actions alerted a town police officer, Sutherland said.

Officer Brian Deel was on patrol at 4:30 a.m. when he noticed Sumpter park the 1992 Ford Explorer he was driving on a side road and walk to the Bank of America ATM on U.S. 17 in Holly Ridge. Sumpter was wearing a dark blue sweater jacket with the hood pulled over his face, police said.

"When someone parks away from an ATM and walks up to it, it is usually an indication that the person is trying to use a stolen card and doesn't want their vehicle on video," Holly Ridge Police Chief John Maiorano said, adding that the hood was also an indication to Deel that Sumpter was possibly trying to obscure his identity.

When Sumpter saw Deel turn his patrol car around, he ran back to his vehicle and sped down the side street. Sumpter then slammed on the breaks, abandoned the Explorer and ran into the woods, police said.

The Sheriff's Department was called and provided bloodhounds that traced Sumpter's getaway path to a house on Camp Davis Road. Sumpter stole a white 2002 Chevrolet Silverado from the yard while the family remained asleep inside the home, Maiorano said.

"(Investigators) from the Sheriff's Department and the Holly Ridge Police Department located several credit cards on the ground where the suspect jumped out of the vehicle," Sutherland said. "The vehicle was impounded, and additional property was located inside the vehicle."

Detectives used the evidence found at the scene of the abandoned Explorer and interviews with friends of Sumpter's to identify him.

Maiorano said he contacted South Carolina authorities and heard back later in the day that police there had located the Silverado outside of Conway, S.C.

"That is one of the places we believe he was staying," Maiorano said.

The property inside the Explorer was positively identified as belonging to victims from the Rock Creek community.

"Warrants have been issued for the arrest of Anthony Sumpter, and he has been entered in to the National Crime Information Center as a wanted person," Sutherland said. "Additional charges may be pending as investigators continue to follow up on leads."

Crime Stoppers of Onslow County is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest or apprehension in the break-ins. People with information can contact Crime Stoppers at 910-938-3273. Callers do not have to reveal their identities.

Contact police reporter Lindell Kay at lkay@freedomenc.com or 910-554-8534. To comment on this story or to read others' comments go to jdnews.com.