A 42-year-old man was arrested on Friday, November 15, 2024, after a Delta County Sheriff's Office investigation linked him to a burglary at the Lakeview Exxon on Highway 24.
The investigation began on November 6, 2024, when a caller reported finding the store’s front door open, missing cash, and stolen lottery tickets. Representatives from the Texas Lottery confirmed that several stolen scratch-off tickets had been cashed out at stores in nearby Greenville and Commerce.
Upon investigation, authorities discovered that a key had been used to enter the store, the alarm had been manually deactivated, and the surveillance cameras were disabled. Surveillance footage from the stores where the stolen tickets were cashed led investigators to 42-year-old Craig Clark, an employee at Lakeview Exxon. Clark, who was living in a travel trailer behind the store, was identified as the suspect.
On November 15, the Delta County Sheriff’s Office served a search and arrest warrant at Clark's trailer. Officers found a significant amount of cash believed to be proceeds from the stolen lottery tickets, along with other evidence linking him to the crime.
Clark was arrested without incident and booked into the Delta County Jail on charges including Theft of Property over $2,500 and less than $30,000, Theft of Property over $750, and Possession of Dangerous Drugs. He is being held on a $55,000 bond. Additional charges related to the illegal cashing of lottery tickets are expected.
