Asheville Police Apprehend Downtown Burglar With Gun 

Asheville -- July 16, 2024: Press Release Asheville Police Department: Asheville Police Officers apprehended an armed

burglar after he broke into a downtown business on Monday morning.

APD officers responded to a business on Patton Avenue around 6:37 a.m. on July 15 to investigate a breaking and entering. As they quickly arrived on the scene, they found the suspect fleeing on foot. While attempting to evade officers, the suspect discarded several items on the sidewalk taken from the business. Shortly thereafter, he was taken into custody. They also recovered a stolen firearm the suspect attempted to discard in a nearby trashcan.

Troy Dean Serna was arrested and charged with Possessing a Stolen Firearm, Possession of Firearm by a Felon, Breaking and Entering, and Resisting a Public Officer.

Serna was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility under a $50,000 (or $5,000 to a bondsman) secured bond issued by a magistrate.

If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact APD at (828) 252-1110. You can also send an anonymous tip using the TIP2APD smartphone application (search “Asheville PD” in your app store) or by texting TIP2APD to 847411.

Editor's Note:* A criminal charge is an accusation, by law, a person accused of a crime is innocent until proven in a court of law.