Asheville -- July 27, 2026: A man is behind bars following a series of burglaries at a local business in downtown Asheville. Officers with the Asheville Police Department arrested the suspect after an investigation revealed a pattern of repeated break-ins spanning several weeks.
The incident came to light around 7:55 p.m. on July 21, when APD officers responded to a breaking-and-entering call at a business located in the 150 block of Short Coxe Avenue. While examining the property and reviewing surveillance footage, officers discovered that the crime was not an isolated event. Video evidence showed the same individual had unlawfully entered the closed business on seven previous occasions throughout June and July, stealing property each time.
Three days later, on July 24, police were called back to the area after receiving a report that the suspect had been spotted at an adjacent property. When officers arrived at the scene, they located Nicholas Jones Crowder, 35. Crowder attempted to flee on foot, but officers quickly caught and detained him.
Crowder was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility. He faces felony charges including eight counts of breaking and entering, eight counts of larceny after breaking and entering, and one count of assault on a government official inflicting injury. A magistrate set his bond at $50,000 secured.