By Shavonne Potts
Salisbury Post
KANNAPOLIS ó Two men are in custody for their involvement in what authorities believe is the theft of 70 catalytic converters from a local car dealership.
Information led investigators to arrest and charge Robert Tyrone Ballard, 39, of 206 E. Ridge Ave., Landis and Donnie Ray Martin, 30, of 1190 Old Beatty Ford Road, Salisbury. They also were charged with attempted first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon and larceny of a firearm from an incident that happened Wednesday.
Larry Brindle, owner of Brindle’s Used Cars and Parts, was at home when he and his wife awoke to a noise outside early Wednesday morning.
Brindle could see two men outside his shop at 2815 China Grove Road, removing items. The men used a wheelbarrow to take away 70 of the 100 catalytic converters to their waiting car.
According to Sheriff’s Capt. John Sifford, Brindle went to the lot armed with a shotgun and confronted one of the suspects.
Sifford said Martin told Brindle he would take him to the guy who was stealing from him. When Brindle followed the man, the suspect overtook Brindle and disarmed him. He punched the shop owner in the face several times and tried to shoot him with his own shotgun. The safety was on and the gun didn’t fire, Sifford said.
He added Ballard was developed as a suspect based on information from the public as well as physical evidence recovered at the scene.
Investigators found 18 of the converters at a fence that surrounded the property.
This is just one in a list of businesses that have been the victimized. It’s the second in recent months where a business owner took measures to defend his property.
In November, an Autoville manager staked out the North Cannon Boulevard business looking for thieves who showed up to steal catalytic converters. He called police for help before confronting the thieves. Two Concord men were charged in that incident.
Ballard was arrested Thursday and officers arrested Martin late Friday evening.
Contact Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253 or spotts@salisburypost.com.