BROOKLAND, Ark. – Authorities in Brookland have stopped a vandalism spree that was apparently inspired by a trend on Tik-Tok. Below is the full release from Detective Dustin Norwood of the Brookland Police Department:
On March 28, 2024, Brookland Police Department officers responded to the area of Brookland Hills Subdivision in reference to individuals vandalizing residences in the area. It was reported that unknown individuals were forcing exterior doors open on houses.
While in the area, Brookland Police Officer Josh Whitley conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for improper exhaust. Upon approach, Officer Whitley identified the driver of the vehicle as Austin Mayfield Moore. The vehicle had two occupants, identified as Nicholas Andrews and a Juvenile Male (JM). Immediately, Officer Whitley developed these three as the suspects that were driving around kicking doors in.
During the investigation, Officer Whitley advised Mayfield Moore of his Miranda Rights and Mayfield Moore stated that he wanted a lawyer.
Officer Whitley then advised Andrews of his Miranda Rights. Andrews advised that he understood his rights and advised that he would speak with Officer Whitley. During the field interview, Andrews made statements which incriminated all three suspects in the crimes which Officer Whitley was investigating. Andrews told Officer Whitley that the three were the ones who had kicked the doors open to the residences.
Officer Whitley arrested the three suspects for Criminal Mischief 1st Degree, Criminal Trespass, and Unauthorized Use of Another Person’s Property to Facilitate Certain Crimes. Mayfield Moore and Andrews were transported to the Craighead County Adult Detention Center to await a Probable Cause Hearing. The Juvenile Authorities were notified by Officer Whitley and advised of this incident. Officer Whitley was advised to place the JM in the Craighead County Juvenile Detention Facility.
On March 28, 2024, I went to the Craighead County Sheriff’s Office to interview Nicholas Andrews on this incident. The interview was audio/video recorded in the Sheriff’s Office Interview Room. Andrews Was advised of his Miranda Rights and a Statement of Rights (SOR) form was completed and signed by both Andrews and me. I then began the interview. During the interview, Andrews admitted that he and the other two co-conspirators listed in this report met in the early morning hours of 3/28/2024 and decided to kick resident’s doors open, for fun. Andrews advised that the idea to do this was obtained from the national TikTok trend of people doing the same. Andrews laid out their plan and advised that the two co-conspirators had kicked two doors each, and he had kicked one. Andrews advised that they were looking for a sixth and final door for him to kick, which would make the three suspects have two apiece. Andrews could not identify by address what houses they damaged, only that they had committed these offences in the Whispering Hills and Brookland Hills Subdivisions in Brookland.
During the interview, I asked Andrews if he was aware of any video that the three might have taken during the crimes, and he advised that he had video on his cell phone. When I asked, Andrews allowed me to view the videos. While viewing the videos, I was able to record the videos from his cell phone. The videos on Andrew’s phone show the three bragging about what they were doing while enroute to vandalize property. Then, the video shows three different residences’ getting the front door kicked by one of the three suspects. In the last video clip, the three kick a front door open on the residence of a Paragould Police Officer who lives in Brookland. Andrews advised that they knew this was an officer’s house because of the police car sitting in the front drive and identified the vehicle by it having a spotlight on it.
In closing to the interview, I asked Andrews if the other two would have video of the incident on their phone. Andrews said no, because Suspect Austin Mayfield, who the three were using his grandmother’s vehicle to commit these crimes, had turned his phone off in case his grandmother called. Andrews further advised that the juvenile suspect involved in his incident was driving the vehicle at the time he was not kicking a door and did not video anything. Andrews added that he thought it would have been cool to have a video of him (Andrews) kicking a door, but one did not exist.
Substantial bond was requested in this case due to public safety concerns. Also, Andrews is currently out on a $35,000.00 bond for Commercial Burglary, Felony Theft, Criminal Mischief 1st Degree, and Criminal Trespass out of Brookland (BPD Case #: 24-00017 Date: 1/28/2024). Andrews has also been arrested on a Misdemeanor Criminal Mischief charge out of Brookland for destroying a sink in a convenience station (BPD Case #: 24-00051 Date: 3/18/2024). Andrews was released on this charge from the Craighead County Detention Center without having to post bail due to overcrowding. In addition to bond, we asked that if Andrews is released from custody, he be ordered to wear an ankle monitor.
On March 29, 2024, Judge David Boling found Probable Cause existed to charge Nicholas Andrews and Austin Moore Mayfield with the listed charges. Bond was set at $100,000 c/s on Moore and $200,000 c/s on Andrews. Andrews must wear an ankle monitor if released on bond. The juvenile suspect was referred to the Craighead County Juvenile Department.
press release
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