ROCKINGHAM — Investigators with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office have charged a man accused of attempting to steal metals from a building near his home.
An arrest warrant alleges that 31-year-old Samuel Russell Smith II, of Seaboard Street in East Rockingham, tried to steal nonferrous metals from the HVAC system of a building at 166 Mill Street early Monday morning.
Smith allegedly damaged the chainlink fencing around the HVAC system, and was reportedly caught with a headlamp, side cutters, screwdrivers and a pry bar.
He was arrested and charged with one felony count each of attempted larceny, possession of burglary tools and injury to property to obtain nonferrous metals, as well as one misdemeanor count of injury to personal property.
Smith is being held without bond in the Richmond County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court May 28.
Online court records show Smith has the following pending charges and infractions:
2024 - felony larceny, misdemeanor larceny, two counts of possession of stolen goods or property
2025 - two counts of felony larceny, two counts of possession of stolen goods or property, fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, reckless driving with wanton disregard, two counts of driving while license revoked and failure to wear a seatbelt.
Smith appears to have no prior convictions in this state.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
