ROCKBRIDGE CO., Va. – The Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday that a suspect in a vehicle theft and burglary within the county had been arrested in Arkansas.
According to officials, the sheriff’s office responded to the report of a stolen vehicle in the 4900 block of South Lee Highway at 7:42 a.m Tuesday.
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Upon arrival, deputies processed the scene for forensic evidence, and the stolen vehicle was entered into the National Crime Information Center database. A be on the lookout alert was also sent to agencies throughout the state.
Deputies immediately began to canvass the area and speak with witnesses and businesses. Through the course of the investigation, it was discovered that Layne’s Country Store had also been burglarized.
Deputies continued to gather evidence and, through the use of FLOCK Automatic License Plate Reader technology, were able to detect the vehicle in Tennessee. The vehicle was lthen located and stopped in Arkansas by Little Rock Police Department deputies.
LRPD officers stopped the stolen vehicle and identified the suspect as 38-year-old James Truitt of Kansas City, Missouri.
Truitt was taken into custody and charged with the following:
- Driving While License Cancelled, Suspended, or Revoked (LRPD)
- Theft by Receiving (LRPD)
- Burglary (RBSO)
- Grand Larceny (RBSO)
- Petit Larceny (RBSO
Investigators traveled to Arkansas to process the recovered vehicle and conduct an interview with the suspect. Truitt is currently being held in Pulaski County, Arkansas, pending extradition to Virginia.
Sheriff Tony McFaddin expressed his appreciation to the Little Rock Police Department and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.
“This case highlights the persistence of our deputies and investigators, as well as the strong partnerships we maintain with other agencies across the country,” said Sheriff Tony McFaddin. “Criminal activity does not stop at jurisdictional lines, and neither do we.”
“This arrest is the result of good police work, modern technology, and strong partnerships. Our deputies never stopped pursuing leads, and thanks to the cooperation of agencies across multiple states, a suspect is in custody and will be brought back to Virginia to face justice.”
This investigation remains active and ongoing, and additional charges are possible. Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Office of the Sheriff for Rockbridge County and Lexington City at 540-463-7328.