Two men were arrested and charged for stealing cameras in east Lincoln County with help from the public, police said.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said it got over 30 calls from the public helping to identify the suspects after. The calls came in response to a news release the office posted online about theft of cameras on a private road off N.C. 73.
The suspects, Scottie Andrew Brooks, 33, and Billy Ray Green Jr., 29, came to the Sheriff’s Office Wednesday night with the stolen cameras, police said. Each man was interviewed by detectives and then charged with possession of stolen goods and misdemeanor larceny.
Both men are locals of Lincolnton.
The thieves were back in the Office Thursday morning to stand before a magistrate. Each man was released on bail of $1,000.
The owner of the cameras first realized they were gone after receiving an email with a picture of someone stealing the cameras, which are worth $850. The crooks had to break the camera cases off the lock they were held to the tree with.
Police were called on Dec. 31 to the owner’s home on N.C. 73, where he reported two trail cameras stolen.
According to sheriff’s investigators, one camera kept sending email pictures to the owner after it was stolen.
