Suspect allegedly crossed state lines, stole several items in same day
Travis Orr
What started with a car stolen in Cherokee County ended with several items missing and a Robbinsville man in police custody.
Travis Wesley Orr, 32, was finally apprehended Sunday and charged with larceny of a motor vehicle after allegedly spending Saturday on a crime spree that included several stops.
According to Facebook posts by the affected parties, Orr stole a silver Toyota Avalon early Saturday morning in Andrews. After returning to Graham County, he stopped at a residence on Tallulah Road and took a Klutch welder.
Orr’s next stop was at a residence off Old Sweetwater Road, where he stole a Coolster 125cc ATV – intended for use by children – from a carport at someone’s residence. Orr had allegedly stolen a zipline and trampoline from the same area before Christmas in 2019.
Further Facebook posts put Orr on the Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee at 12:58 p.m., where he was photographed by one of the many independent photographers that capture drivers traversing U.S. 129 North. The stolen 4-wheeler was spotted in the back seat of the Avalon.
Graham County authorities later corresponded with both the Monroe County, Tenn. and the Athens, Tenn. police departments, to keep an eye out for the welder and the 4-wheeler, which had not been recovered at press time.
Authorities received a tip about Orr’s whereabouts early Sunday morning, as he returned to a residence just outside the Robbinsville town limits. Orr fled authorities, abandoned the stolen Avalon on Tatham Gap Road and took off on foot.
He was later captured after Cherokee County crime dogs tracked him to the Cherokee/Graham border.
Graham County authorities have five pending charges against Orr over the spree: two felony counts of breaking and entering, two felony counts of larceny after breaking and entering and one count of felony possession of a stolen vehicle. Orr will stand in Graham County Court on Monday, Aug. 17 for those charges, as he has been extradited to Cherokee County to face charges over the vehicle stolen from Andrews.
He was just arrested in Graham County on July 22 and charged with resisting a public officer, possession of methamphetamine and misdemeanor larceny.