When an Arkansas man was freed from custody, he allegedly swiped a police vehicle that was sitting in front of the jail and used it to exit the grounds.
Cordell Coleman is a 33-year-old who spent the night in the county jail on April 15, after being accused of public intoxication.
Just after 2:30 am on April 16, Coleman was processed out and released from the facility.
Around the same time that Coleman was freed from custody, an officer had parked the official vehicle he was driving near the entrance of the jail. He left the Little Rock Police Department Ford Explorer unlocked while he went inside to assist with booking a suspect.
When the officer went back to his vehicle, he reported that it was not where he left it, and he surmised it had been stolen.
The officer reported the incident to a sergeant in the jail.
In an attempt to track down the vehicle thief, the authorities looked for any inmates that had been released at the time they believed the SUV was taken. Surveillance video was also reviewed to try to identify the culprit.
Using the footage to gather a description, and learning that Coleman had left the jail at the time in question, the authorities asserted that he was likely responsible for stealing the vehicle.
The location of the SUV was tracked, and the officer that was using it at the time of the alleged theft went to the address provided.
The officer arrived at a nearby apartment complex and reportedly spotted the Explorer with Coleman sitting inside.
Coleman was taken back into custody, and he is facing charges for felony theft of a motor vehicle. He was returned to the Pulaski County Regional Jail.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.