ROCKINGHAM — A homeless man is facing more than two dozen criminal charges in connection to several business break-ins within a two-week time period.
The suspect, 36-year-old Zachary Lee Reaves, was reportedly found inside one of the businesses when officers with the Rockingham Police Department responded to an alarm activation at Cosmos Fashion around 3:57 a.m. Monday, March 23.
According to warrants, Reaves started his alleged spree on March 10 when he broke into the Dollar General Store on Greene Street with a claw hammer and stole around $600 in merchandise, including Newport cigarettes and “various small electronic items.”
Reaves is accused of breaking into the Food Lion store on East Broad Avenue on March 18, but the warrant does not indicate anything was taken or damaged.
On March 21, Reaves allegedly broke into Granny’s Donuts, going inside twice, and stealing $100. That same day, Reaves is accused of breaking into Mama Noi’s, damaging the rear door, and stealing a cash register and various food items.
Two days later, on March 23, Reaves allegedly used an angle grinder to break in through the back door of Cosmos Fashion — resulting in $1,000 in property damage — and took the cash register.
Reaves also allegedly caused $5,000 in damage when he broke into the Maytag Laundromat on Biltmore Drive and stole $40.
Police reportedly responded to the Maytag break-in about an hour before arriving at Cosmos and determined the cases were connected.
“Over the past two months, officers and detectives have investigated multiple similar incidents involving forced entry into businesses and similar items stolen,” reads a Facebook post from the Rockingham Police Department. “Detectives believe this arrest is connected to several of those cases.”
Reaves was arrested March 23 and charged with: eight counts of felony breaking and entering; six counts of larceny after breaking and entering; five counts of possession of stolen goods or property; four counts of possession of burglary tools; two counts of damage to property; and one count of injury to real property.
He was booked into the Richmond County Jail where he is being held on a $180,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court April 9.
The RPD said the investigation is still active and more charges may be forthcoming.
Records with the N.C. Department of Adult Correction show Reaves is currently on probation from a May 2025 felony burglary conviction in Kansas. His supervision time is listed as one year, seven months and 26 days.
Reaves has multiple convictions across the Sandhills over the past two decades:
2008 - two counts of felony breaking and entering, two counts of felony larceny, misdemeanor breaking and entering (Hoke County); burning a public building (Richmond County)
2009 - felony breaking and entering (Scotland County)
2023 - burning a church or religious building (Scotland County)
2025 - three-month reimprison violation (Scotland County)
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
