GASTONIA, N.C. — A 48-year-old Cherryville man was arrested and charged after police say he broke into cars in the parking lot of a hospital and stole items from a nurse’s break room.
On April 1, 2023, just before 9 p.m., Gastonia Police officers responded to CaroMont Regional Medical Center on Court Drive for a call about a person attempting to break into cars in the parking lot. Security video outside the hospital showed the suspect going through a nurse’s car and several others.
During the investigation, officers were notified that several nurses inside the hospital discovered items missing from a second floor break room. Surveillance video showed that the same person that was going through cars in the parking lot had entered the nurse’s break room. Officers say the suspect left the hospital with the items from the break room including a bag that was containing an AirTag.
Detectives were able to use the victim’s AirTag information to track the suspect to the Econo Lodge on Broadcast Street.
Police were able to identify the person seen in the surveillance video as 48-year-old Mark Melton.
Melton was attempting to leave the motel when officers took him into custody. The victim’s bag with the AirTag was found in the back seat of Melton’s car. Officers also recovered most of the stolen property.
Melton is charged with felony larceny after breaking and entering, two counts of felony larceny from a motor vehicle and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held under a $30,000 bond.
