Rowan authorities say they’ve tied a Mocksville man to a vehicle break-in that occurred a week ago at a Woodleaf home. The homeowner tried to hold the thief off with a gun, but let him go after the thief exhibited odd behavior.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office charged Joseph Shayne Campbell, 36, of the 100 block of Byerlys Chapel Road, with two counts felony breaking and entering and misdemeanor larceny. The incident occurred Jan. 4. He was arrested Thursday.

Deputies were called to the 400 block of Powell Road when the homeowner told dispatchers someone broke into his two vehicles parked at his home.

The homeowner, Mical Menzel, confronted a male outside his home who appeared intoxicated. Menzel told officials he heard a car pull into his driveway and got out of bed. He then heard a noise. He woke his wife up and told her to call 911. Looking out a bathroom window, he saw dome lights on inside his pickup and another vehicle. Menzel grabbed his handgun and went outside, a report said.

Menzel confronted a man who was outside his house. He asked the man what he was doing at his home. The man told Menzel he was “trying to help him out,” by cutting off his vehicle lights, a report said.

The report said Menzel ordered the man up against his house until authorities arrived, but the man became erratic. He was waving a plastic bag around and flailing his arms. Menzel told deputies he didn’t know what was inside the bag and felt uncomfortable.

Menzel fired a round into the ground, the man dropped the bag and walked toward a vehicle that was parked near the house.

The man went to the passenger’s seat and asked a woman to “vouch” for him confirming that he was “helping” Menzel.

A report said the man got into the driver’s side of the vehicle, told Menzel he’d be back when Menzel was “more reasonable.”

Officials said the plastic bag contained a stapler that was from Menzel’s vehicle and nothing else appeared to be missing. The vehicle Campbell was driving was tied to an address at Byerlys Chapel Road. When deputies checked the address they found the vehicle, which was registered to Campbell.

Campbell has been convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon, breaking into vehicles, second-degree kidnapping, larceny, resisting arrest, unauthorized use of vehicle, drug possession and obtaining property by false pretenses.

Campbell remained in the Rowan County Detention Center on Monday under a $5,000 secured bond.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.