HAMLET — A Scotland County man with outstanding warrants was arrested Tuesday morning after showing up for a doctor’s appointment.
Investigators with the Hamlet Police Department say when 49-year-old Billy Locklear Jr., of Laurel Hill, went to a scheduled appointment at a doctor’s office in Rockingham, someone from the office called police to say he was there.
Locklear is accused of breaking into FerroFab in the early morning hours of Dec. 7. Investigators say he had worked there until late November.
Police released security video of the break-in on Dec. 15.
The video appears to show the suspect pushing one security camera up, presumably to avoid being seen.
The next shot is from a camera inside the facility, that appears to show the suspect walking in from a small bay door with what looks like a large piece of cardboard over his head.
Investigators say the suspect damaged two vending machines and stole equipment during the 10 minutes he was inside.
Locklear is charged with one count each of breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, and breaking into a coin or currency machine.
He is being held in the Richmond County Jail under a $5,000 secured bond. Online records did not show a court date at the time of this writing.
Jail records show he is also being held without bond on several charges out of Scotland County: assault on a female; communicating threats; making a harassing phone call; and cyberstalking.
Locklear has a long history of criminal convictions in Scotland County, according to the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction.
In 1997, Locklear was convicted on eight felony counts of forgery and two felonious counts of breaking and entering and larceny.
In addition to larceny and fraud convictions, records show Locklear has also been convicted of burglary, fleeing to elude arrest, possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, and attempted riot or civil disorders.
Locklear has also been convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in Guilford County (1998) and resisting an officer in Moore County (2004).
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
