Man escapes deputies in a kayak after squatting in empty mountain homes, NC cops say
A man accused of squatting in empty mountain homes used a kayak to get away from cops, North Carolina officials say.
Deputies were narrowing in on the man when he approached Nantahala Lake, a spot for known for boating and fishing, the Macon County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday.
That’s when the man stole a kayak and crossed the water, the department said in a Facebook post.
After getting their hands on a boat, deputies couldn’t catch up with the man, identified as Alan Keith Bowyer, according to officials.
Bowyer, 34, made his way to the other side of the lake, where he ran into the woods and vanished, deputies say.
The ordeal happened in western North Carolina, roughly 90 miles southwest of Asheville and outside the town of Franklin. The area’s Nantahala River Gorge draws thousands of people for rafting and kayaking adventures, the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce says.
Authorities as of Tuesday night were looking for Bowyer, who is wanted in connection with a string of nearby car thefts and home break-ins, according to their Facebook post.
Deputies think he got into unoccupied houses and lived in them “for an extended period of time,” the post said. Items he took from some homes were found inside others, according to the Macon County Sheriff’s Office.
The Nantahala area is dotted with vacation properties, many of which stay empty for months every year, according to the department.
During their search, Macon County officials encouraged people with out-of-town neighbors to stay alert.
Anyone with information about Bowyer is asked to call investigators at 828-349-2104 or CrimeStoppers at 828-349-2600, deputies say.
