Thief suspected of stealing Raleigh family’s camper, local business’ logging equipment :: WRAL.com
Raleigh, N.C. — A Raleigh family says a camper stolen during a possible crime spree has been found.
In a post to Facebook, Kalan Browne said her family found their camper, which was taken from a fenced lot off Overlook Road in Wake County.
Browne said she shared video of the theft online and learned her family was not the only victim.
Workers at a nearby business say a trailer, a large pressure washer and other tools were stolen there.
WRAL has reached out to investigators about possible arrests.
For the Browne family, the large camper was a mobile memory-maker.
“We use it for vacation,” said Browne. “We have a 5-year-old daughter and spend a lot time at the lake.”
The suspected thief was caught on camera last week hitching up two expensive items —a camper and a pressure washer — and taking off with them.
“He leaves, and then about ten minutes later, pulls back up, probably with the right tools to damage the hitch off the camper, and drives right away with it,” Browne said.
When she shared the video on both Facebook and NextDoor, a business reached out, indicating the man and truck captured on their surveillance video looks a lot like the man and truck in the video the Browne family posted online.
“He acted like he was just an employee here,” said JT Hughes, vice president of operations at American Woodyards.
The equipment that was stolen is important to this business.
“It is killing us right now, with that being gone,” he said.
The Browne’s feel the same way about their trailer.
Both parties hope that the public will be able to help them identify the person or truck involved in this theft.
“It’s very bold, and there are cameras everywhere, and he just — it did not bother him,” Browne said.
According to Hughes, it would take as much as $15,000 to replace the pressure washer trailer. Browne says her camper is valued at around $80,000
Both Browne and Murphy believe there could be more victims.
The Browne family is offering a $3,000 reward for a direct lead to the suspect’s arrest. The Wake County Sheriff’s Office and Raleigh Police said they are investigating.
The police say they regularly look into whether cases like these could be connected.
