Winston-Salem man faces charges linked to crime spree involving five businesses
A Winston-Salem man is facing charges connected to the five break-ins and larcenies that happened at businesses between March and this month, authorities said.
James Wesley Rawls, 53, is charged with five counts of breaking and entering, one count of common law robbery, four counts of felony larceny after breaking and entering, and one count of misdemeanor injury to personal property, according to an arrest warrant.
Rawls was arrested after an incident shortly before 3 a.m. Tuesday at the BP gas station at 105 N. Martin Luther King Drive, police said.
A man entered the business, doused the clerk with pepper spray and then grabbed some money and ran away, police said.
Rawls is accused of stealing $233 from the gas station, according to an arrest warrant.
Emergency medical technicians treated the clerk with minor injuries.
Police then linked to Rawls other crimes.
Rawls is accused of breaking into Compare Foods at 550 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on May 20 and stealing money and cigarettes valued at $298, according to another arrest warrant.
Rawls allegedly broke into Mr. Lu's restaurant at 1479 New Walkertown Road on March 10 and stealing $150 from the business, an arrest warrant says.
Rawls is accused of breaking into Antojitos Las Delicias restaurant at 1521 E. Fifth St. on March 16 and stealing $180 from the business, an arrest warrant says.
On that same day, Rawls allegedly broke into New Yorker Pizza at 1477 New Walkertown Road and damaged a window at the restaurant, according to an arrest warrant.
Rawls was again accused of breaking into Compare Foods on King Drive on March 17 and stealing $335 from the grocery store, an arrest warrant says.
Rawls is being held in the Forsyth County Jail with no bond allowed for the robbery offense and on a $65,000 bond for other offenses, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said.
Rawls is scheduled to appear on June 11 in Forsyth District Court.
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