A 62-year-old man is in custody following a string of convenience-store robberies — where the culprit had one very specific item on his list.

Orange County Sheriff’s Investigator Kevin Stewart arrested Richard Neverson of Durham earlier this week. Neverson faces 25 charges, including multiple counts of felony breaking and entering and felony larceny, with more charges likely to follow.

Neverson is accused of a four-month string of convenience-store break-ins across multiple counties. There were three break-ins in Orange County, plus others in Person County, Durham County, and Wake County, beginning in December of 2021 and running into this year.

Officials say there was one clear factor linking all the robberies together: in each case, the thief stole Newport cigarettes.

Why, specifically, Newport cigarettes? The investigation is still ongoing, but that particular brand has been in the news recently. Newport is the most popular brand of menthol (mint-flavored) cigarette — and last month, the FDA announced plans to prohibit menthol cigarettes, which researchers say appeal to young smokers and can be especially addictive.

In most of the break-ins, the culprit was wearing a face mask. But investigators recently got a break – when the suspect went maskless while breaking into a store in Cary that was equipped with security cameras.

Neverson is now in the Orange County Detention Center under a $66,000 bond. The investigation is still ongoing: call Investigator Stewart at 919-245-2925 if you have any information.

Photo via the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Former Orange High School Counselor Charged Over Indecent Liberties With Students
A former high school counselor, who recently resigned from Orange County Schools amid investigation into her conduct, turned herself into authorities on Thursday.
Carrboro Man Arrested, Charged With Sexual Exploitation of a Minor
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Carrboro man Monday and has charged him with multiple counts of sexual exploitation. 42-year-old Michael Robert Westendorf faces six felony warrants for second-degree and four counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Second-degree exploitation includes duplicating material containing a visual representation of a minor engaged in sexual […]
Orange County Sheriff: Paula Floyd Murder Suspect in Local Custody After Extradition to N.C.
UPDATE: The Orange County Sheriff's Office shared an alert on the morning of Apr. 10 saying Matthew Vukmer was now in its office's custody.
Orange County Sheriff: Suspect Captured in Stabbing Death of Hillsborough Woman
Orange County Sheriff’s Office says it has taken 53-year-old Matthew Jared Vukmer into custody. Vukmer is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 54-year-old Paula Floyd at Vukmer’s Hillsborough home Friday morning. The sheriff’s office says an investigator working with the U.S. Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Capital Area […]
Wild Vehicle Pursuit Leaves 2 Orange County Sheriff's Cars Damaged, 2 Charged for Drug Possession
A cross-county vehicle pursuit on Wednesday resulted in two Durham residents facing several felony changes, as well as a pair of damaged Orange County Sheriff's vehicles and Alamance County properties.
Charles Blackwood Earns Election to Fourth Term as Orange County Sheriff Following Primary Win
Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood is poised to earn his fourth term in the role, as he is projected to win Tuesday’s Democratic primary. Blackwood led with 58.41% of the vote in Orange County, compared to Durham County Sheriff’s Office employee and David LaBarre’s 41.59%. The race did not have Republican candidate file in the […]
Traffic Stop by Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Leads to Drug Trafficking Charges
A traffic stop near Hillsborough on Saturday led to an arrest on drug trafficking charges and the seizure of dozens of grams of cocaine.
Sheriff's Office: Moving Truck Hit and Run in Hillsborough Ends With Dramatic Chase, Stop in Greensboro
A Virginia man faces several charges in North Carolina after an extensive vehicle pursuit that began with a hit-and-run case in Orange County. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office shared a release on Monday afternoon detailing the incident from Sunday night. Law enforcement officials were dispatched at 10:20 p.m. to help the Hillsborough Police Department with […]
Police: Woman Fights Off Attempted Armed Robbery at Hillsborough Gas Station
Officers from the Hillsborough Police Department and deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to an attempted armed robbery at a BP service station in Hillsborough Friday. Police say a woman was pumping gas at the station on Cardinal Drive when she noticed a man watching her near the dumpsters. After finishing pumping gas, […]
2026 Candidate Introductions: Democratic Primary for Orange County Sheriff
After running unopposed in 2022, Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood faces competition in the Democratic primary from the Durham County Sheriff's Office's Director of Planning and Development David LaBarre.
›