Police: Hot Springs man arrested in phone theft tried to mislead authorities

A Hot Springs, Ark., man was arrested Friday morning after police say he stole a phone and then tried to blame it on two black males.

Christopher Mitchell, 24, was booked into the Bi-State Justice Building jail on a charge of burglary of a building, a felony, as well as some misdemeanor charges, said Texarkana, Texas, police officer Ed Emilia. A hold was also placed on Mitchell for an unrelated out-of-state warrant, Emilia said.

Shelley said officers responded to a report of a burglary at a business in the 4600 block of Summerhil Road early Friday. Daily police briefing sheets show a burglary was reported at 3:12 a.m. at 4628 Summerhill Road. The name of the business was unavailable.

Emilia said when officers arrived, a man claiming to be the caller identified himself as Brad Jackson, but was actually Mitchell using a false name. The man told police two black males had broken out a window to the business and entered it.

Officers discovered an iPhone in a black case had been taken from the business, and found a phone that matched that description on Mitchell, Emilia said.

“When the officers called the number for the stolen phone, the phone in possession of Mitchell began to ring,” Emilia said in an email.

Emilia said the investigation is ongoing, with no additional information available.