LINCOLNTON, N.C. – Lincoln County Sheriff’s detectives have charged an Alexis man with the theft and possession of construction equipment.

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Detective D. Hendrix and Charlie District deputies went to a residence on Mt. Zion Church Road, Alexis, NC after receiving a report that a piece of stolen equipment was at that location.

After receiving permission to search the property officers located two Bob Cat skid steers and a stolen travel trailer. One of the skid steers belonged to Blythe Construction Company and was stolen from a construction site in December of 2021. The machine had been rented from Carolina Cat Equipment and purchased by Blythe Construction.

A man told officers that he had been negotiating with Richard Clay Martin about trading a piece of equipment for the skid steer. Officers were alerted to the location of the equipment on March 31, 2022. They went to that location and located the skid steer valued at $70,000. While on the property officers discovered another Bob Cat that was stolen from a business on East NC Hwy 150 in April of 2021. The Bob Cat was valued at $10,000. Blythe Construction recovered their stolen skid steer and the other Bob Cat was taken away by a towing company.

Deputies also found a 2013 travel trailer that had been reported stolen from Optimum RV of Spartanburg, SC. The trailer was valued at $13,000. The company was notified and picked up the stolen trailer.

Richard Clay Martin, 47, of 2361 Mt. Zion Church Road, Alexis, NC was charged with one felony count of attempt to obtaining property by false pretenses and two felony counts of possession of stolen goods. Martin turned himself in and was released on a $30,000 secured bond after being processed at the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center.