RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) –- Raleigh police say they believe they have cracked a series of home break-ins, with help from Greensboro law enforcement.
According to a release, starting on May 15, 2026, a pattern began to emerge in which an unknown suspect was targeting neighborhoods mostly centered in the Southwest District, as well as North District, where the suspect was utilizing a prying tool to break in through the side/back door of a residence in which the victims were out of town. The suspect then entered the residences targeting silver kitchenware set(s), jewelry items, watches, as well as security safes and firearms.
These incidents occurred during the nighttime hours between 11:00 pm and 04:00 am. The total dollar value of stolen property in this pattern is over $380,000.
During the course of this investigation, Raleigh PD Analysts created multiple Crime Pattern Reports which were shared with law enforcement partners statewide. On November 4, 2026, Greensboro PD Analysts as well as Greensboro Detectives responded to the Crime Pattern Report with the name of an individual, Stephen Neal Trotter Jr (52), whom they had identified as a suspect in similar crimes in their jurisdiction. Several pieces of evidence were shared which linked Mr. Trotter to specific cases in Raleigh.
Lastly, surveillance evidence from some of the victims in the cases filed with Greensboro PD was shared, and the suspect seen on surveillance is the exact same suspect as seen in the surveillance footage filed with the Raleigh cases.
Raleigh Police detectives consulted with the Wake County DA’s Office, on November 8, 2026, obtaining 23 separate warrants containing 40 Felony charges containing 2nd Degree Burglary, Larceny after Break/Enter, and Larceny of Firearm were sworn out.
Mr. Trotter is currently being held in the Forsythe County Jail with no bond.
Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce stated:
“First and foremost, I want to acknowledge the victims of these burglaries and the impact these crimes have had on them. I also want to recognize and thank the detectives and analysts for their hard work, dedication, and thorough investigation that helped bring this investigation to a successful resolution. Finally, I want to thank the Greensboro Police Department for their assistance in bringing the suspect into custody. Their professionalism and diligence highlights the importance of teamwork and collaboration in holding offenders accountable and protecting community members.”