11 break-ins in 9 days: CMPD makes an arrest in spree that hit breweries and stores

Amanda Zhou

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrested a 20-year-old man in connection with 11 commercial break-ins in the span of nine days. The robberies hit a slew of stores and restaurants, including three businesses in Lower South End.

Officers learned of the first break-in around 7 a.m. on Jan. 23 at Chicken King on Nations Ford Road. The suspect had broken into the business overnight and had stolen property, police said. On Jan. 28 and 29, there were two more break-ins along South Boulevard, at El Rey Supermercado and Pollo Campero, officials said.

On Sunday morning, Jan. 31, employees at two breweries — Protagonist and Sugar Creek Brewing Company — and Queen Park Social discovered their businesses in Lower South End had been broken into. In the afternoon, police learned of two more break-ins at Instant Imprints/Flowers of Charlotte and Enchanted Hive, which are both located in a strip mall near Clanton Park.

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Police Capt. Brian Trull said those five break-ins, which occurred in close proximity to each other, started to fit a pattern.

“(They) appeared to be related based on the type of entry that was made (and) the items that were targeted,” Trull said Wednesday.

Surveillance footage showed a suspect throwing a large rock several times before breaking the glass and entering Protagonist, brewery co-founder Michael Salzarulo said Monday.

CMPD increased police presence in the area Sunday night and responded to three break-in alarms, Trull said. Around 4 a.m. on Monday, police apprehended a suspect fleeing from a building, Trull said. The three businesses impacted were Caribbean Hut/The Red Door, Tryon House and The Peace Pipe. All three businesses are close to the intersection of West Woodlawn Road and Old Pineville Road.

Police interviewed Anthony Avila-Raudales, 20, and were able to clear the three break-ins, Trull said. Police then applied for a search warrant for Avila-Raudales’ hotel room for evidence and were able to connect him to the other burglaries.

Avila-Raudales was arrested Monday, according to Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office records. He has been charged with 12 counts of felony breaking and entering and 10 counts of larceny after breaking and entering, officials said.

“This was great work done by the officers and detectives noticing a trend,” Trull said. “... And then great teamwork and follow up to put all the pieces together, to clear out these 11 cases.”

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