Man arrested, charged in eastern Columbus County crime spree

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A Delco man is facing a list of charges in connection with several thefts in the eastern part of Columbus County.

According to the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office, 50-year-old Curtis Wayne Cruse was arrested after a nearly month-long investigation.

The report says the investigation began on June 19, when a homeowner on Cedar Drive in Riegelwood reported a wallet stolen from a vehicle on the property.  A financial card from the wallet was used at the Scotchman Gas Station in Riegelwood and an Exxon Gas Station in Wilmington.

Over a two-day period, deputies responded to several stolen property calls in the Cedar Drive area. Among the items reported stolen from vehicles… cash, cigarettes, tools, lawn equipment and fishing gear. Several gas cans were also taken, some with fuel inside. One of the homeowners also reported the gas tank on a boat had been damaged.

Deputies used surveillance video from one of the homes and from the convenience stores to identify and arrest Cruse.  He’s facing numerous charges, including:

Misdemeanor Injury to Personal Property

Felony Obtaining Property by False Pretense

3 counts of Felony Breaking or Entering a Motor Vehicle

3 counts of Misdemeanor Larceny

Felony Breaking or Entering a Boat

Felony Larceny

Cruse received a $28,500.00 secured bond.