Shoplifter at Hot Springs Mall allegedly found with heroin

An alleged shoplifter arrested at Hot Springs Mall Monday afternoon soon faced more serious charges when heroin was reportedly found in his possession.

Austin Jazz Knight, 24, who lists a Norman address, was taken into custody shortly after 1:30 p.m. at the mall, 4501 Central Ave., and charged with a felony count of possession of a controlled substance, punishable by up to six years in prison, in addition to misdemeanor citations for shoplifting and failure to appear.

Knight remained in custody Thursday in lieu of bonds totaling $2,500 and, after an initial appearance in Garland County District Court earlier this week, is set for a hearing Dec. 16.

According to the affidavit, Garland County sheriff’s investigator A.J. Tart, who is assigned to the 18th Judicial District East Drug Task Force, was at the Sunglasses Hut at the mall when he saw a white male, later identified as Knight, walking away from the business.

A female clerk approached him and stated the man had just stolen some sunglasses, so Tart approached Knight at a nearby cellphone accessories stand, identified himself as law enforcement and asked him to come back to the Sunglasses Hut to return the stolen merchandise.

Knight allegedly said, “OK, I’ll give them back.” Mall security arrived to assist and Tart told him to call Hot Springs police. At that point, the suspect “became very nervous,” so he was handcuffed.

Tart notes the suspect “became very tense” and didn’t want him searching his pockets. As Tart tried to search the suspect’s left pocket, he jerked away and Tart saw he had a syringe in the pocket.

Tart finally made the suspect sit down and cross his legs. The suspect reached around, despite his cuffs, and got into his pocket as Tart grabbed his hand and removed it.

HSPD Officer R. Rodgers arrived at that point and during a further search of Knight the officers reportedly found a loaded syringe and a spoon with six individually wrapped packages of what later tested positive for black tar heroin.

The report notes it was approximately 0.5 grams of heroin with a street value of $200. All the evidence was confiscated by the DTF, which is comprised of officers with the GCSD, HSPD and Arkansas State Police.