Local News

Arrest made after man caught on camera breaking into car in Cary shopping center

Video shows a man climbing inside a broken SUV window with his feet dangling out in the air at the Waverly Place parking lot.
Posted 2023-06-01T19:58:18+00:00 - Updated 2023-06-04T11:07:25+00:00
Apex man arrested after being caught on camera breaking into a car

After several days of searching, a man has been arrested in connection with a brazen daytime car break-in caught on camera in a popular Cary shopping center.

A Cary couple filmed a man breaking into a vehicle in Waverly Place earlier this week, and Cary police issued an arrest warrant and filed charges after identifying the suspect as Dustin Zaner-Bowen, 26, of Apex.

On Saturday, Zaner-Bowen was arrested by Raleigh police at a pawn shop on Capital Blvd. He was charged with breaking or entering a motor vehicle, according to his mug shot.

Video from earlier in the week shows a man believed to be Zaner-Bowen climbing inside a broken car window with his feet dangling in the air in broad daylight.

Even with a car alarm blaring and a camera aimed at him, the man wasn't deterred.

Justine Schumacher and her husband, Clay, were on their way to lunch when they saw the break-in and began filming.

"I made eye contact with him and was like, 'What are you doing?'" said Clay Schumacher.

The couple began circling the parking lot and watching the man.

"We thought we would scare him off, however we obviously didn’t deter him, because after we lapped the parking lot and made eye contact, he picked up a huge rock, smashed the window and jumped on in!" wrote Justine Schumacher on a Facebook post where she shared the video.

She says when they saw him picking up a rock, they pulled out their phone quickly to record him.

Video shows the man try to pull open the door after smashing the window. He then climbs through the window.

Justine Schumacher told WRAL News she was a little worried about their safety.

"So we stayed a little distance from the car and made sure we got a really good picture of his face," she said.

Do you know this man?
Do you know this man?

The couple posted the images on Facebook – and got at least half a dozen responses from people who say they recognize the man.

"Police were thankful for the video, but the man ran off towards the grassy shopping area and they haven't caught him yet. Anyone know this guy?" she posted on her Facebook along with video and a photo.

Cary police say it's too early to tell if this incident is connected to car break-ins at Cary hotels earlier in the week and at four fire stations 10 days ago.

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