KINGWOOD — A Preston County man faces multiple theft charges.
John Mathew Curtis, 31, with addresses in Masontown and Terra Alta on criminal complaints, is charged with September and October thefts.
He was in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail Friday in lieu of $205,000 bond.
According to Preston criminal complaints:
On Wednesday, Preston Sheriff’s Deputy J.T. Knotts responded to a burglar alarm on Crane School Road, Albright. He found the window in the basement door broken. Deputies found Curtis outside.
Curtis allegedly admitted to breaking into the home by throwing a rock through the window. He was looking for a vehicle to steal. He is charged with burglary in the incident.
On Wednesday, Curtis was charged with grand larceny for allegedly taking a Ford Focus that was parking outside Mountaineer Mart in Terra Alta.
On Oct. 16, while recovering a stolen vehicle, Preston Deputy First Class W.E. Crawford found a blue bag containing multiple identification and credit cards belonging to a Kentucky woman.
The woman had reported the items stolen from her car while she was at a motel in Monongalia County.
Also in the bag was a receipt dated Oct. 16 for a store in Preston County. Items had been paid for with one of the stolen credit cards. Store video showed a masked man using the card, then returning four hours later and trying to return the items for cash, using the same card.
Several people, including the suspect’s mother, identified Curtis from the images. He is charged with fraud using an access device in that case.
While responding to a burglary on Gladesville Road Oct. 16, Deputy Crawford found someone had forced open a window and entered. The home had been “tossed” and a handgun and ammunition stolen.
Footprints through tall wet grass led from the back door to the open window and to a neighboring driveway. The owner of the driveway told investigating officers that his 2010 GMC pickup had been stolen from his drive.
Police found the truck later that day and obtained a photo of Curtis in the truck. He allegedly confessed to taking the truck but said he’d been under the influence and didn’t know if he had broken into the home.
He is charged with burglary and grand larceny in this case.
On Sept. 28, Preston Sheriff’s Sgt. S. Mitter investigated a report from Arthur Road, Reedsville. A couple said they gave a man who walked onto their driveway a ride.
A woman’s wallet was in the back seat in an open plastic container. Her PIN number was written on a piece of paper in the wallet. When she realized it had been stolen, they tried to find the man, later identified as Curtis, but he hid.
The victim’s bank said $400 was withdrawn from her account. Mitter called the business where Curtis had told the couple he formerly worked, and they identified him as Curtis.
When Curtis was arrested on another charge, he allegedly admitted to the theft. He is charged with petit larceny and fraud using an access device.
Curtis also faces charges in Mon County.
TWEET@DominionPostWV
