Chief Chuck Hasty said Joseph Anthony Boone Jr., 47, tends to frequent the areas around Highway 48 and P&J Trailer Park.
A long search for him Thursday, which included assistance from the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and state Highway Patrol, in the Vine Street area was unsuccessful.
Hasty said this morning investigators don’t believe Boone stayed in the woods overnight.
The events Thursday unfolded around 10:45 a.m., Hasty said in a statement, when Officer Jamie Hardy responded to a call of a larceny from a vehicle in the Lowe’s Home Improvement parking lot.
The victim reported items were taken from the back of their vehicle while they were inside the store.
Surveillance video, Hasty said, showed a burgundy Ford Excursion pulled next to the victim’s vehicle and a person got out and took items. The vehicle left the parking lot and Sergeant Daniel Jenkins spotted it at Walgreen’s.
Boone and Travis Sentell Davis, 37, both of Roanoke Rapids, were in the vehicle. Boone was found to be in possession of narcotics and had an outstanding order for arrest and outstanding warrant for larceny and possession of stolen goods from a June 23 matter.
Boone also has a court appearance on August 24 to answer to several larceny charges and a charge of larceny of a firearm, according to state court records.
His lengthy past criminal record dates back to 1995, state Department of Public Safety records show. It shows several charges of resisting public officers.
Boone broke free while officers were talking with him and Daniels, Hasty said, and ran toward the wood line behind DrugCo.
Daniels was arrested and charged with larceny and received a $1,000 bond and September 9 court date.
Warrants have been obtained for Boone’s arrest on charges of breaking and entering a motor vehicle, larceny, possession of stolen goods and possession of schedule II.
Anyone with information on Boone’s location is encouraged to contact the police department at 252-533-2810 or Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444.