PIGGOTT, Ark. — A Paragould man accused of breaking into storage units in Piggott is facing felony charges after police said a suspicious overnight encounter led officers to investigate nearby storage facilities.
At about 12:30 a.m. March 3, a Piggott police officer saw a pickup truck pull into the parking lot of the Jitterbug Café, according to a release from the department. The officer contacted the driver, identified as Wayne Griffin, after seeing him walking around the truck with a small flashlight, according to the Piggott Police Department.
Griffin told the officer he had a bad tie rod and was heading back to Paragould after he and his wife had fought, police said. Officers also noted the truck was loaded with personal belongings.
When the day shift officer came on duty at 6 a.m., the night shift officer relayed the encounter and said something about the situation “felt off,” according to police. The officer later checked CourtConnect and found Griffin had pending charges out of Osceola for multiple counts of breaking or entering and theft of property involving storage units.
Police then checked nearby storage units. Nothing appeared out of place behind the Jitterbug Café, but officers later found several storage units on Margaret Street with missing locks, open doors, and pieces of padlocks on the ground.
After the storage unit manager and owners were contacted, multiple people reported items stolen, police said. Investigators used LeadsOnline, a program connected to pawn shops, and found several items Griffin had sold, some of which matched items reported stolen from the storage units.
Piggott Police Chief Sam Poole contacted the Osceola Police Department, which sent an officer to the pawn shop and placed a hold on the stolen items, according to police. Osceola police also advised that Griffin was a person of interest in several thefts there.
On April 21, Piggott police learned Griffin was in custody at the Mississippi County Jail. A Piggott officer interviewed Griffin at the jail, where police said he admitted to the storage unit break-ins in Piggott.
The Piggott Police Department obtained a felony warrant for Griffin on charges of commercial burglary, theft of property and criminal mischief. Police said the warrant will be served once Griffin is finished in Mississippi County.
Police said Griffin also has incurred felony charges out of Stoddard County, Missouri, for second-degree burglary, and out of Craighead County for commercial burglary and theft of property since the Piggott incident.
The Piggott Police Department thanked the Osceola Police Department and the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance.
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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