Exclusive details: Lake Lure police apprehend homeless home invasion suspect thanks to community tips
Robert Andrew Yancey, 49, was arrested on multiple charges and is at the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office Detention Center jail, police say.
The Lake Lure police department said they successfully captured a suspect involved in a recent home invasion and felony assault, thanks to an outpouring of community support and valuable tips.
Following an incident on April 5, 2024, in the “north Lake Lure area,” police said Robert Yancey, born on February 16, 1975, described as 5'8" tall and weighing 140 pounds, was seen donning brown clothing and riding a bicycle. The police asked for the community’s help and advised against approaching the subject directly. Shortly after their Facebook post, tips began to come in, which led police to capture Yancey a few hours later.
Yancey was recently released from the Rutherford County Detention Center on unrelated charges, public records from the jail show. He was most recently a Morganton resident, but the newest information shows he is homeless. Lake Lure police have not released additional details as of press time. I have filed public records requests with the police department and the Rutherford County courthouse (Friendly reminder: Cops & Congress investigation pieces take hours of work, and a paid subscription is required for them, sign-up now if you haven’t already - thanks!)
Expressing gratitude to the residents of Lake Lure, the department highlighted the critical role played by community members in providing crucial information, enabling law enforcement to swiftly apprehend the suspect. This successful operation marks a collaborative effort between law enforcement officers and the community, resulting in one less criminal on the streets of Lake Lure, police said.
I was the first local journalist to report the incident on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). Please follow me there if you haven’t already, it’s where I usually post breaking news (and follow up with a longer form piece here.)
Cops & Congress by Annie Dance is a service journalism newsletter, focusing on police, policy, and public records in the Lake Lure area of western NC and beyond. This article is free to read due to generous support from founding member subscribers.
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