Homeowner came face-to-face with intruder dressed in camouflage, NC sheriff says

A man loading stolen goods into a truck was startled when the homeowner walked up and stared him in the face, according to investigators in North Carolina.

It happened Tuesday, April 7, at a home near Statesville, and the suspect took off running, leaving the truck behind, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Adam Steven High, 42, was eventually found – “covered in mud” – and arrested, officials say.

“The homeowner reported coming face-to-face with a suspect actively stealing items and loading them into a pickup truck. When confronted, the suspect, dressed in camouflage, fled into a nearby wooded area,” the sheriff’s office reports.

“During the search, a nearby resident alerted deputies to two suspicious individuals emerging from the woods near Old Mocksville Road. Deputies located Adam Steven High and Candice Marie Daniel, both covered in mud. High matched the description of the suspect.”

The two were arrested, and deputies discovered High out of jail on “pretrial release for similar offenses,” officials said.

An investigation led to a third suspect being identified, Michael Ray Elam, 46, and he was located and arrested, the sheriff’s office said.

Court documents report items taken from the woman’s home included appliances and antiques valued at more than $5,500.

“All three suspects are charged with felony breaking and entering and felony larceny after breaking and entering,” the sheriff’s office said.

Statesville is about a 40-mile drive north from uptown Charlotte.

This story was originally published April 9, 2026 at 8:38 AM with the headline "Homeowner came face-to-face with intruder dressed in camouflage, NC sheriff says."