Homeless man charged with breaking into car, trying to jump start it
A homeless man was arrested late Monday after he was reportedly caught in the act of breaking into a woman’s vehicle and trying to recruit another man to help him jump start it.
Richard Calvin Reynolds, 60, who lists “city streets” as his address, was taken into custody around 11:45 p.m. and charged with a felony count of breaking or entering, punishable by up to six years in prison.
He remained in custody Tuesday in lieu of a $2,500 bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 11:30 p.m., Hot Springs police Officer Tyler Ward responded to the apartments at 515 Higdon Ferry Road regarding a break-in.
The owner of a 2005 GMC Sierra truck had called to report she had exited her residence and saw a man in the driver’s seat of her vehicle “tampering with the ignition and steering wheel.”
Ward, once at the scene, saw a man, later identified as Reynolds, exiting the driver’s seat of the Sierra and walking behind the apartments. He put out his description to other officers and also noted another man, 44, standing near the front of the Sierra.
Officers located Reynolds in the courtyard of the apartments and detained him. The second man told Ward that Reynolds had stopped him about 20 minutes earlier and asked him if he would help jump-start his truck, which was broken down, and he had agreed and followed Reynolds to the apartments and gave him a portable jump box.
Ward spoke to the owner of the Sierra, who stated no one should be in her vehicle and she didn’t know Reynolds. She noted there was nothing apparently missing from her vehicle, but Ward noted the dash below the steering column had been removed and the ignition was loose.
The owner said she had not seen the second man enter her vehicle so he was released. Officers escorted Reynolds to the front of the building where Ward confirmed he was the man he had seen in the truck earlier.
When questioned later about the incident, Reynolds reportedly admitted he was in the Sierra when Ward arrived and said he exited the vehicle and left “because he had to use the bathroom.”
According to court records, Reynolds has no prior felony history, but has been arrested and convicted several times for misdemeanor theft and criminal trespassing. His last conviction was on Dec. 11, 2019, for theft of property and he was sentenced to 30 days in jail.