Rowan sheriff’s investigators have charged a Rockwell man with the theft of dozens of copper downspouts from a Sherrills Ford Road church.
Authorities said he’s also responsible for similar thefts at a Rockwell church and at Nazareth Children’s Home.
Nathaniel Lee Lynn, 35, was charged with taking copper downspouts from Salem Lutheran Church in early August. A week ago, investigators said it appeared the suspect was going to return to take more downspouts. On Friday, the Rowan Sheriff’s Office received reports that the Nazareth Community Church and Nazareth Children’s Home also had downspouts stolen from buildings.
In the following weeks, detectives began conducting nighttime surveillance at several churches in western Rowan County and identified Lynn as a suspect.
He had been living on Lowder Road near Sherrill’s Ford Road in early August, but Tuesday detectives located Lynn at a residence on Percy Lane in Rockwell, about a mile from Nazareth Church and Nazareth Children’s Home.
Authorities seized evidence that put Lynn at the Salem Church crime scene. Lynn was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $30,000 bond.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Jon Brindle at 704-216-8706 or Chad Moose at 704-216-8687.