An Arkansas woman is facing charges after she reportedly took another individual’s vehicle and other items from their residence without their permission.
Courtney Redden, 40, of Fort Smith, was formally charged on May 15 in Sequoyah County District Court with unauthorized use of a vehicle and larceny from the house. She is scheduled for a June 12 felony disposition docket, according to court records.
Roland Police officer Alex Cabrera reported on May 12 that he was dispatched to a residence on Grant Street in reference to a stolen vehicle.
The reporting party said they’d allowed Redden to stay at their residence after picking her up in Fort Smith, but after waking up the next morning, they found their silver 2005 Ford Freestyle missing.
The reporting party said they tried calling Redden but she didn’t answer. It was also noted that Redden had allegedly taken the reporting party’s cell phone and a pair of Nike shoes as well.
Another individual at the residence told authorities they were missing a diamond necklace and a Canon camera from their room, and provided serial numbers for the missing items.
A second individual said they’d loaned the vehicle to the reporting party to commute to work in, and the reporting party did call to let them know the vehicle had allegedly been stolen. The vehicle’s information was then entered into NCIC, according to the probable cause affidavit.
A few hours later, Cabrera was dispatched back to the residence after Redden reportedly tried to force her way inside. As the officer was en route, he spotted a vehicle matching the description of the stolen vehicle parked in the driveway of a residence on Roland Road.
Cabrera arrived and found Redden seated on the front porch with a bag, purse and backpack, and detained her. When he questioned the individuals about the items inside, one of them stated that some of the items reported missing were in the bags that Redden had in her possession. The keys to the vehicle were also found on the porch by the reporting party, according to the affidavit.
Redden claimed she’d driven the vehicle to Fort Smith Historical Park after finding the keys on a table at around 3 a.m. and reportedly admitted to taking a camera.
When asked if she’d taken the vehicle, she claimed “she had to.” She said she was trying to gain entry to the residence to return the property that she allegedly took, according to the affidavit.
Redden was transported to the Roland Police Department and the items were collected as evidence.
The vehicle was then released to the original owner.
District Attorney Jack Thorp said unauthorized use of a vehicle is punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a term not to exceed two years; while larceny from the house is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years.
