Johnston Deputy Recovers Repainted Stolen Moped

JOHNSTON COUNTY, N.C. — What began as a routine traffic stop for a moped without a license plate ended with the recovery of a stolen vehicle and the arrest of a Zebulon man.

Around 11:12 a.m. Sunday, a Johnston County deputy on patrol spotted a moped traveling on N.C. Highway 231 near N.C. 39 that was not displaying a license plate.

After stopping the moped, the deputy checked the vehicle identification number and discovered it had been reported stolen by a Wendell man, according to the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators said the moped had been repainted after it was stolen, apparently in an attempt to disguise its identity.

The driver, Jason Scott Wheeler, 36, of Eatmon Road near Zebulon, was arrested and charged with felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

Wheeler was booked into the Johnston County Detention Center, where he was held under a $20,000 secured bond.