HAMLET — A man is facing several criminal charges, accused of breaking into a vehicle and a home, stealing various items and trying to sell them just months after a prior conviction.
According to arrest warrants, 21-year-old Daren Steven Grainger, who has addresses listed on Park Street and Old Gibson Road, broke into a 1995 Nissan Altima and a home on Oak Ridge Church Road on Sept. 13.
He is accused of stealing comic books, Star Wars action figures, foreign currency, costume jewelry and “other assorted items” all valued at more than $7,000.
Grainger allegedly damaged the door and frame during the break-in.
He allegedly returned to the home on Sept. 17, this time taking more comic books and a guitar.
That same day, Grainger is accused of trying to sell unspecified stolen items to one person and eventually selling them to someone else.
He is accused of trying to sell more items to the previous buyer the following day.
Grainger was arrested Sept. 18 and charged with: two counts each of breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, and attempting to obtain property by false pretenses; and one count each of breaking and entering a motor vehicle, obtaining property by false pretenses and injury to personal property.
He is scheduled to appear in court on those charges Oct. 3.
Online court records show he has a Sept. 30 court appearance on charges of breaking and entering, larceny after breaking an entering and a felony probation violation.
Jail records show Grainger is being held on a combined $75,000 secured bond.
He was given a 24-month suspended sentence in June following a conviction of breaking and entering, according to records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction.
He was also given probation in January when he was convicted of two counts of misdemeanor larceny and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Grainger was first convicted a decade ago on misdemeanor charges of breaking and entering and possessing stolen goods. His probation was revoked in November the following year, landing him behind bars for six weeks.
He was also given probation in 2012 for a larceny after breaking and entering conviction, which was also revoked, resulting in a five-month incarceration.
Grainger was convicted again in 2015 on a misdemeanor charge of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
