ROGERS (KFSM) — Police used technology to link a suspect wanted for armed robbery to other reported crimes in the area.
Matthew McClellan Vought, 38, of Rogers is facing eight felony charges including aggravated robbery, commercial burglary, two counts of theft of property, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, breaking and entering and fraudulent use of a credit card.
An aggravated robbery was reported about 7 a.m. Oct. 18 at Lifetime Dental, 805 N. 20th Place, according to the Rogers Police Department.
An employee of the dental office told police she arrived at work about 6:50 a.m. and began preparing the office for the day. After turning on music, she heard a door chime. The chime sounds whenever someone enters the business.
The employee also told police she searched the office to see if someone had entered and found a slender man about 5-feet, 9-inches, wearing a dark-colored hat and holding a handkerchief over his mouth — armed with a pocket knife — standing in front of her.
When he saw the employee, he allegedly began walking toward her while demanding money. He reportedly told the employee, “I’m desperate”, and continued walking toward her, an arrest report states.
The employee told the suspect if he would quit walking toward her, she’d give him money. She had $11 in her wallet and offered it to him, but he kept approaching her, the report states.
She then obtained $50 additional dollars and told the suspect she’d give him that in addition to the $11. The suspect stole the money, backed away and ran off, according to police.
Police also said, the following day, a Rogers investigator studied the department’s dispatch logs and found a vehicle break-in was reported on North 20th Street. In that instance, a purse and bank card were reported stolen. The bank card was allegedly used at a Rogers Walmart.
Police viewed the surveillance footage from Walmart to identify the suspect in that instance. Police identified him as Vought. He reportedly wore a similar outfit in the Walmart surveillance as to what was reported in the armed robbery.
Vought was already serving time in the Benton County Jail in connection with the break-in. Investigators went to the jail and spoke with Vought.
He reportedly told the investigators he was previously arrested on suspicion of domestic battery on his mother and as a result, had been homeless for five months. He allegedly told police he turned to selling and using drugs to cope, and committed the crimes out of desperation.
Also, Vought allegedly told investigators he didn’t plan to use the weapon but used it to “have control of the situation”. He also allegedly told them he couldn’t remember what was purchased with the stolen money. After, he wrote an apology letter to the woman he robbed, according to police.
Since 2001, Vought has had trouble with the law. He is being held in jail without bond.
