Anthony Kelly

Interim Chief of Police

Release: IMMEDIATE                     Contact: Lt. T. Joyce, Public Information Officer

Date:  October 5, 2016                    Phone:  (910) 433-1374

Suspects Arrested for Motor Vehicle Breaking & Entering Offenses

(Fayetteville, NC) – On October 4, 2016 at approximately 2:45 am, officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to the area of London Court in north Fayetteville in reference to a report of a suspicious person who was possibly breaking into a motor vehicle. 

The initial officers arriving to the scene observed two (2) individuals who fled on foot and would locate one of the subjects sitting inside of a vehicle nearby.  During the investigation, the female who was identified as Aoife McElrath (W/F, 17) was in the possession of a handgun inside of the vehicle that was stolen during a recent motor vehicle breaking and entering.  Officers would locate a second stolen handgun in the vehicle and evidence associated with a motor vehicle breaking and entering from Stone Carriage Circle near the Bingham Drive corridor. 

Detectives responding to the scene were able to correlate data that revealed Jacquez Taylor (B/M, 18) was the second suspect who fled on foot, as he was currently on electronic monitoring for post release supervision for a prior conviction of Common Law Robbery.  Taylor was located later during the morning of October 4, 2016 and was arrested without incident by the FPD’s Electronic Monitoring Unit and the Neighborhood Improvement Team.

Aoife McElrath has been charged with the following in connection with the motor vehicle breaking and entering crimes:

• Possession of a Stolen Firearm
• Breaking and Entering of a Motor Vehicle (2 counts)
• Felonious Larceny
• Felonious Possession of Stolen Goods
• Misdemeanor Larceny
• Misdemeanor Possession of Stolen Goods

McElrath was initially arrested on October 4, 2016 for Possession of a Stolen Firearm and Possession of a Firearm by a Minor.  McElrath was released from the Cumberland County Detention Center on the same date and is currently at large for the pending charges.

Jacquez Taylor was charged and arrested on October 4, 2016 with the following in connection with motor vehicle breaking and entering crimes from across the city:

• Breaking and Entering of a Motor Vehicle (5 counts)
• Larceny of a Firearm (2 counts)
• Possession of a Stolen Firearm (2 counts)
• Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (2 counts)
• Felonious Larceny
• Felonious Possession of Stolen Goods
• Misdemeanor Larceny (2 counts)
• Misdemeanor Possession of Stolen Goods (2 counts)

Taylor was processed at the Cumberland County Detention Center, where he remains without bond for the parole violation and a $115,000.00 secure bond for the additional charges. 

Detectives with the FPD’s Property Crimes Unit continue to investigate motor vehicle breaking and entering offenses that are reported in our city.  Detectives and Crime Prevention Specialists encourage all citizens to secure their vehicles when you are going to be separated from it.  It is also important to remove valuables from your vehicle and do not leave items in plain sight. 

Anyone with information regarding the involvement of McElrath and Taylor or other motor vehicle breaking and entering offenses, is asked to contact Detective A. Dickinson with the Fayetteville Police Department at (910) 709-7812 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477).  Crimestoppers information can also be submitted electronically, by visiting http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org and completing the anonymous online tip sheet or by text-a-tip on your mobile device by sending a message to 274637 (in the text box type “4Tip” followed by your message).