Crabtree Carjacker Cauther Gets 20 Years

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Garner criminal responsible for a harrowing crime spree at Crabtree Valley Mall has been handed a 20-year sentence. Thomas Kyle Cauther, age 31, pleaded guilty to robbery of a Raleigh Walmart and the carjacking of a woman on April 8, 2024.

“This defendant was a one-man crime spree threatening a store clerk, crashing a city truck, and dragging a woman across a parking lot in a carjacking,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Cauther’s spree caused unspeakable trauma to victims and wrecked a city street sweeper.”

According to court documents, on May 11, 2023, Cauther smashed a glass display case at a Walmart on Fayetteville Road, stole two iPhones, threatened a clerk with a knife, and rode off on a bicycle. He then stole a City of Raleigh truck, crashing it in the parking deck of Crabtree Valley Mall.

At the mall, Cauther approached a woman in her car and forcibly removed her, dragging her behind as he drove away. The pursuit by Raleigh Police led to the remote disabling of the carjacked vehicle by OnStar operators, ultimately leading to Cauther’s capture. The victim was hospitalized with multiple broken bones.

U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced Cauther following a prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Nokes. This conviction stems from the Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative, a collaborative effort to tackle violent crime.

For more information on related court documents and details, visit the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or search PACER using Case No. 5:24-CR-23.