Hayesville: Man Arrested After Stealing Employee’s Truck — and a Gun — From Hot Spot Lot

Clay County Sheriff's Office

Press Release

On 09/18/26 at 6:04 AM a call was received by Clay County 911 Dispatch reporting the theft of a vehicle from the Hot Spot store in Hayesville. Clay County Sgt. Sean Stout, Officer Ashley Anderson, and Officer Donovan Burke responded.

The Officers met with Katie Worden and Ashley Scanlon, both of whom were employees at the store. Worden and Scanlon said they saw a shirtless male enter Worden’s vehicle. The male began removing items from the vehicle and set them outside. Worden confronted the male who was later identified as Austin David Lundy, 32 years of age from Brooklet, Georgia.

Lundy then approached Scanlon’s 2017 Ram truck, got in, and drove it away. Scanlon reported that a Bersa Thunder 380 ACP pistol was in her truck when it was taken. After a report from a concerned citizen, Sgt Stout located the stolen Ram truck as well as Lundy himself at the Hayesville Grill on NC Highway 69.

Lundy was arrested and charged with the felony Larceny of a Motor Vehicle and the felony Larceny of a Firearm. Lundy was issued a $10,000 secured bond for his release.