Man Busted For Stealing Assault Rifle, Other Items From Police Cars

February 4, 2009

A man arrested for stealing items that included an AR-15 assault rifle from from five police cars is not the phony cop that has stopped several area women in Escambia County.

johnkwhite.jpgJohn Kelvin White, 23, of Pensacola was arrested early Tuesday morning for breaking into five law enforcement vehicles parked at officer’s homes. White is suspect of stealing items from a marked Escambia County Sheriff’s Department cruiser, two marked Pensacola Police Department cars and two state Department of Transportation officer vehicles.

But sheriff’s department officials say White is not the same man that has impersonated a law enforcement officer in several traffic stops in Pensacola, including one where a woman was violently assaulted.

Deputies say that about 2:00 Monday morning, a Pensacola Police Car was burglarized in the driveway of the officer’s residence in the area of the Coral Creek subdivision. Stolen from the police car were an AR-15 assault rifle and several magazines of ammunition.

Early Wednesday morning, Escambia Deputy Mark Smith, being aware of the burglary the previous evening, was on patrol in the subdivision when he observed a red 1987 Ford pickup truck stopped partially in the roadway and partially in a driveway in the 2100 block of Coral Creek Drive.

Deputy Smith exited his patrol car and approached the Ford Pickup where he observed a white male rise up from behind the steering wheel as if trying to hide, according to Sheriff’s Department spokesman Ted Roy.

The suspect, later identified as White was observed wearing a jacket with the Department of Transportation patches and sewn on badge on it. Deputy Smith then observed an Escambia Sheriff’s Office Jacket, bullet proof vest and a bag of chemical protective gear lying in plain view in the passenger side of the vehicle.

As Deputy Smith made contact with the suspect and lone occupant, the suspect exited the pickup, took off the jacket and stated someone had just stolen his truck and he chased them to this point.

Suspect White was immediately detained and handcuffed. A pat down of the suspect revealed two sets of handcuffs and two wallets belonging to the victims in the suspect’s pockets.

White was then placed under arrest. Items recovered included police car keys, an AR-15 rifle with four fully loaded magazines, a flashlight, a digital camera with lens, identification cards from the officer’s vehicles, handcuffs, chemical protective gear and miscellaneous items including a police badge and jacket.

White was charged with possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, burglary, possession of burglary tools, fraud-unlawful use/possession of a police badge and possession of marijuana. The suspect’s vehicle was also seized and transported to the Sheriff’s Office. It was also learned that the suspect had an outstanding warrant out of Texas for felony marijuana possession. The officers whose items were stolen were contacted and responded to the scene and recovered their items.

White’s bond was set at $22,000. He remained in the Escambia County Jail early Wednesday morning.

Comments

One Response to “Man Busted For Stealing Assault Rifle, Other Items From Police Cars”

  1. Pasadena Roy on February 4th, 2009 7:41 am

    Why, with and outstanding felony warrent from Texas and a charge such as a felon in possession of a firearm, not to mention the burglery charges, would the judge only set bail at $22k? This sounds like more catch and release work to me.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News