BENSON, N.C. — A Warsaw man is facing felony charges after allegedly stealing a chainsaw and selling it just minutes later.
Joseph George Hood, 43, was arrested on July 10 and charged with felony obtaining property by false pretense and misdemeanor larceny, according to the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say the incident happened around 9:20 a.m. when a 62-year-old Benson man left his chainsaw in the back of a pickup truck while he entered a business on NC Highway 210 near I-40. Surveillance footage captured the theft and provided deputies with a vehicle description.
Later that day, deputies spotted the suspect vehicle on Veterans Parkway near the interstate and conducted a traffic stop. During the investigation, officers discovered that Hood had already sold the stolen chainsaw for $200 to an unsuspecting buyer.
The chainsaw was recovered and returned to the rightful owner. Hood was booked into jail and held under a $20,000 secured bond.
