A reportedly homeless parolee with a lengthy criminal history of break-ins and thefts was arrested again Monday in connection with a break-in to a storage unit in September based on security video.
Charles Dean Garner, 48, who lists "city streets" as his address, was taken into custody shortly before 5:30 p.m. in the 7200 block of East Grand Avenue and charged with theft of property over $1,000 and breaking or entering, each punishable by up to six years in prison. He also had felony and misdemeanor warrants for three counts of failure to appear.
Garner was being held on a zero bond and is set to appear on Dec. 19 in Garland County District Court.
According to court records, Garner was convicted in Saline County in 2008 of theft of property and breaking or entering and sentenced to six years in prison, all suspended; in 2012 in Hot Spring County of theft by receiving and sentenced to six years in prison; in Garland County in 2016 of theft by receiving and 2020 of breaking or entering and sentenced to six years in prison each time, but was later paroled.
He was arrested on March 12 for breaking or entering and theft by receiving and released on June 12 on a $2,500 bond. He reportedly failed to appear for his disposition hearing in Garland County Circuit Court on Oct. 30 and a warrant was issued.
According to the probable cause affidavit on Monday's arrest, on Sept. 14, shortly after 4:30 p.m., a man reported his storage unit at Central Avenue Storage, 4250 Central Ave., was broken into through forced entry.
The man noted it had been about a month since he checked his unit and it had been locked then. He discovered the lock was damaged and multiple items were taken, including four Nitto tires with a total value of $1,548.
After reviewing surveillance footage from the business, Hot Springs police Detective S.C. Jones saw a white male leaving the area where the man's unit was located shortly before 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 27 with four vehicle tires.
Jones took a screenshot of the tires and sent them to the victim who reportedly confirmed the tires the suspect was putting in his vehicle were the ones from his storage unit.
Jones sent out a Be On the Lookout request for information to other law enforcement officers and an HSPD officer reportedly recognized and identified the male as Garner.
Jones was allegedly able to confirm his identity by comparing his driver's license photo and a tattoo seen on his right arm to the male on the surveillance video and warrants were issued for his arrest.