FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) — University of Arkansas police have arrested a father and son accused of stealing a scooter Saturday (July 14) from the Baum Stadium parking lot.
David Claude Strode, 64, of Springdale and David Wayne Strode, Jr., 45, of Farmington were arrested Tuesday (July 17) in connection with felony theft of property.
The men were identified thanks to pictures of a white cargo van that 5NEWS shared Monday (July 16) with viewers.
David Strode and David Strode, Jr., were captured on camera stealing the scooter about 11:13 a.m. Saturday. The footage showed both men roll the scooter to the van and place it inside.
Springdale police found the van early Tuesday morning and traced it to back to the Strodes, according to Capt. Gary Crain, spokesman for UAPD.
Crain said the men told investigators they stole the scooter at the request of another person, who police haven’t yet located. Crain said police also haven’t recovered the scooter.
Both men were being held at the Washington County Detention Center.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, UA recorded 30 campus motor vehicle thefts in 2016 — which ranks ninth in the nation, behind schools like the University of South Carolina and Clemson University.
The data include both automobiles and scooters, with the latter making up a majority of thefts on the Fayetteville campus.
Crain said the increasing number of motorized scooters and their small nature make them prime targets for theft.
“Scooters are not that difficult to put on a truck or just push away or however people are doing it, and we’ve caught them doing it many different ways,” Crain said.
Crain advises both car and scooter owners to always lock up, and warns against hiding keys in or around the vehicle.
