The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office announced several felony charges against a Florida man on Friday following an investigation into a larceny and fraudulent use of credit cards last week.
A release from the sheriff’s office said James Dwane Hayden of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, faces first-degree burglary, breaking or entering a motor vehicle with theft, larceny after breaking or entering, obtaining property by false pretenses, and two counts of financial card theft stemming from Dec. 24. At the time, residents along Bennett Mountain Trace — a road in the Briar Chapel neighborhood in the northeastern part of Chatham County — reported someone entering their garage. The suspect then got into an unlocked vehicle at the house and stole a wallet containing two cards for Lowe’s Home Improvement and Home Depot stores.
Following the victim’s report, law enforcement investigators determined the stolen cards were used later that morning, with one purchase tracked down at the Lowe’s along Fordham Boulevard in Chapel Hill, another successfully made at a Home Depot in Durham, and a third transaction was declined at a Lowe’s in Durham. Friday’s release said investigators then reviewed surveillance footage from the stores and saw a white male using the stolen cards to make the purchases.
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office said Hayden was identified as the suspect thanks to “additional verification measures,” including inmate photographs and tattoo comparisons since the Florida residents has a distinctive, large neck tattoo. His arrest warrants have not yet been served, according to Friday’s release.
Despite not being in custody of Chatham County authorities, Hayden’s first court appearance over the felony charges is already set. He is slated to appear in Chatham County District Court at the Chatham County Justice Center in Pittsboro on Feb. 9.
Featured photo via Google Maps.
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 newsletter.
Related Stories
‹
Victims of $2 Million Home Improvement Fraud Sought in Orange, Chatham CountiesThe FBI is seeking Orange, Chatham and Durham County victims who may have been defrauded by a husband and wife doing home improvement projects in the last six years. The Federal Bureau of Investigations Raleigh Resident Agency is investigating the actions of Jorge Alberto Garcia and his wife, Helen Smith-Flores, who have been charged by the U.S. […]
Red Cross Declares Blood Crisis: Here's Where You Can Donate LocallyThe American Red Cross is calling for immediate blood donations, declaring a national blood crisis for the second time in history.
![]()
The Morning News: Orange County's Wolf Dogs, Five Years LaterIn today's news: we revisit the wolf dogs who captivated our community when they went loose in Cedar Grove five years ago.
Refuel Prepares to Open Renovated Chapel Hill Location; Will Feature New Local MuralRefuel will celebrate the reopening of a newly renovated gas station, featuring a new mural, in Chapel Hill on Saturday, June 27 at 11 a.m.
Local Government Meetings: June 15-19, 2026This week in local government: a proposed AI moratorium in Durham and a board appointment (maybe) in Chatham County.
US Soldier Charged With Using Classified Intel to Win $400K Polymarket Bet on Maduro RaidGannon Ken Van Dyke was part of the operation to capture Maduro in January and used the prediction market site Polymarket to place a bet.
Chapel Hill Attempted Murder Investigation Leads to Arrest in Chatham CountyTwo weeks after a shooting injured one person outside a Chapel Hill apartment complex, local authorities say the suspect has been detained and charged. A release from the Chapel Hill Police Department confirmed the arrest of 22-year-old Jose Luis Enamorado Flores of Chatham County, saying he faces 21 different charges stemming from the Apr. 4 […]
Local Government Meetings: February 9-13, 2025This week in local government: residents in Chatham County push back against Flock license-plate cameras and AI data centers.
Pennsylvania Woman Charged After Elder Exploitation Investigation in Chatham CountyThe Chatham County Sheriff's Office charged 71-year-old Pamela Bagdis of Norristown, Pa. with five counts of felony elder exploitation.
Sheriff's Office Charges Florida Man After Burglary, Card Theft in Briar ChapelThe Chatham County Sheriff's Office announced several felony charges against a Florida man on Friday following an investigation into a larceny and fraudulent use of credit cards last week.
›
