Police say a Memphis man is at the center of a brazen rooftop burglary that cleaned out a downtown tobacco wholesaler of roughly $150,000 in cigarettes, vapes and other products. Officers arrested 30-year-old Avery Carmichael on Monday, accusing him of helping a crew that sliced into the building from above and used a rental truck to haul off the goods. The hit has business owners and nearby wholesalers on edge, given the scale of the loss.
How the burglary unfolded
According to investigators, the break-in happened on June 15 at Memphis Cash and Carry on Carolina Avenue. Police say several masked suspects cut a hole in the roof, dropped a ladder inside and went to work loading up cartons of cigarettes and boxes of vape pens. As WMC Action News 5 reported, detectives later released surveillance images of the suspects as part of the investigation.
How investigators say they cracked the case
Detectives focused on a rented U-Haul and a silver van caught on camera during the heist. Police say they traced those vehicles back to Carmichael, and he allegedly admitted providing the rental truck used to move the stolen merchandise. Per WREG, Carmichael was booked on charges of burglary of a business and theft of property valued between $60,000 and $250,000. His bond was set at $200,000. Investigators say the case is still active and additional arrests are possible.
Charges and the court calendar
Carmichael is scheduled for an initial appearance in Shelby County court on Tuesday. At that hearing, prosecutors will decide whether to push the case toward formal indictments. Any eventual sentence would depend on the felony level that is ultimately pursued and on Carmichael’s criminal history, if any. If the higher end of the alleged theft value is proven, he could be staring at significant prison time along with restitution obligations.
Retail theft and why tobacco is a target
Tobacco and vape products are compact, expensive and easy to resell, which makes them a favorite target for organized theft crews. The Memphis Police Department's 2023 annual report notes that business burglaries remain a stubborn problem for the city, and detectives say tools like surveillance video and vehicle tracking often make or break these cases. Anyone with information about the Memphis Cash and Carry burglary is urged to call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH, a tip line highlighted by WMC Action News 5.
