AHOSKIE – A simple arrest for shoplifting turned into much more here last week.

Clarence Benjamin Peele, 39, of Camp Street, Winton, was jailed under a $27,000 secured bond after additional investigative work by Sgt. Justin Farmer of the Ahoskie Police Department led to several breaking and entering charges.

Peele was charged with seven felony counts of breaking and entering coin operating machines; one felony count each of breaking and entering and larceny; seven misdemeanor counts of damage to personal property; one misdemeanor count of damage to real property and one misdemeanor count of larceny.

Answering a Nov. 29 complaint of a shoplifter at the Ahoskie Wal Mart, Sgt. Farmer initially took Peele into custody based on that alleged charge. Peele was banned by Wal Mart officials from entering the store in the future.

Sgt. Farmer then used additional information to connect Peele with a string of recent B&E’s of coin operated machines in the town. Peele made his first appearance in Hertford County District Court on Dec. 2.

“I would like to thank Sgt. Farmer for following up on three cases unrelated to the shoplifting charge and making this arrest for the B&E’s,” said Ahoskie Police Chief Troy Fitzhugh. “Sgt. Farmer’s training and skills helped to solve these crimes.”