By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great local journalism.
Man charged in vehicle break-ins
Authorities say he used stolen credit cards
Charles Butterworth
Butterworth

Forsyth County Sheriff’s officials say they have arrested a 34-year-old Dawsonville man who reportedly went on shopping spree with credit cards he stole after breaking into vehicles.

According to a sheriff’s report, Charles Butterworth has been charged with two counts of entering auto and three counts of financial card fraud.

Butterworth, who is being held without bond at the Forsyth County Detention Center, also faces charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug-related objects, the report said.

Sheriff Ted Paxton said Butterworth may have been involved in entering auto cases and credit card fraud transactions in several other jurisdictions.

“This case is still active and ongoing. We are still identifying other potential victims,” Paxton said.

Butterworth was arrested July 29 at a home on Hulsey Road, just off of Trammel Road in eastern Forsyth.

“We identified the man at the residence as the person who had been entering the autos,” said Sheriff’s Investigator Mike Garrison.

“After a search of the residence, several items were located that were taken from the vehicles and were purchased using the stolen credit cards.”

According to Garrison, vehicles were entered on July 27 and 28 at separate locations on Peachtree Parkway.

In the first incident, an iPhone, two wallets and credit cards were removed from a vehicle at Your Serve Tennis.

Someone then began making more than $2,000 in purchases at several retailers. One of the transactions was made on a company credit card, which alerted the cardholder and company that something was wrong.

The next day, an iPhone4, another phone and about $900 worth of new children’s clothing that were going to be donated were taken from a vehicle at a CVS Pharmacy.

During the second theft, authorities got a description of the suspect and his possible vehicle.