UPDATE -

SUSPECT THOMPSON ARRESTED – TROOPERS RECOVER LAST OF FOUR MISSING VEHICLES

  Arkansas State Troopers arrested Traishaad Thompson shortly before noon today in southwest Little Rock.

  Thompson, 20, was taken into custody without incident.  He has been the subject of a statewide search since Friday of last week and wanted in connection with the theft of four decommissioned Arkansas State Police vehicles.

  The last of the four vehicles was also recovered this morning after being spotted by State Police helicopter pilots.  The vehicle was parked in the area of University Avenue and Forbing Road.

  Three of the four vehicles were recovered a short distance from where Thompson was arrested.  The fourth vehicle was recovered in Huttig (Union County) where Thompson has recently resided.

  The vehicles were recently stolen from the department’s administrative headquarters auto storage lot.  The lot is located in a locked fence area of the department’s administrative headquarters property at Interstate 30 and Geyer Springs Road.

  All of the vehicles were awaiting transfer to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Marketing and Redistribution warehouse.  State Police markings and emergency equipment had been removed from the vehicles in advance of the planned transfer to the warehouse.

  Special Agents of the State Police Criminal Investigation Division are heading-up the investigation along with agents of the State Police Office of Professional Standards.

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  Traishaad Thompson is the subject of a statewide search by Arkansas State Police and other law enforcement agencies in connection with the theft of four decommissioned State Police vehicles.

  A warrant of arrest for Thompson, suspected of theft by receiving, has been issued in Union County Circuit Court.  Thompson, 20, has recently resided in the community of Strong, east of El Dorado, but is known to regularly travel to Little Rock.

  Sunday night (September 20th) a third stolen vehicle, a Dodge Charger, was recovered in southwest Little Rock, a short distance from where the first vehicle, a Dodge Durango was recovered last Wednesday afternoon.  Later Wednesday evening, a Dodge Charger was found abandoned near the Huttig community in Union County.                                             

  The vehicles were recently stolen from the department’s administrative headquarters auto storage lot.  The lot is located in a locked fence area of the department’s administrative headquarters property at Interstate 30 and Geyer Springs Road.

  All of the vehicles were awaiting transfer to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Marketing and Redistribution warehouse.  State Police markings and emergency equipment had been removed from the vehicles in advance of the planned transfer to the warehouse.

  A State Police motor vehicle fleet audit last Wednesday identified the specific vehicles that were stolen.

  The remaining vehicle still unaccounted for is a 2006 white Ford Crown Victoria.

  Special Agents of the State Police Criminal Investigation Division are heading-up the investigation along with agents of the State Police Office of Professional Standards.