Thursday, March 29, 2007

The Teddybear Theft

JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) - A woman who reached into the open window of a car and stole a 3-year-old's teddy bear faces a felony charge for breaking and entering, Jonesboro police said Tuesday. Tonya Marie Taylor, 24, of Bono has a court appearance set for May 31 for allegedly taking the bear on Thursday, Jonesboro Police Detective Vic Brooks said.

Brooks said Taylor didn't offer a reason for taking the bear.

"That's a real good question," he said.

Police were called to the parking lot of a video store, where the child's mother reported the theft. The woman said she was sitting with her toddler daughter when Taylor approached.

"(Taylor) leaned into the car and grabbed a stuffed bear from the child's arms and started walking away," the woman told police in an affidavit. The mother told officers that Taylor may not have noticed there was an adult in the car until after she leaned into the vehicle.

The woman told police she confronted Taylor, who ran to a vehicle and drove away with the bear.

Others near the scene identified Taylor to police.

On Friday, Taylor brought the bear to the police department and had a witness with her.

"(Taylor) claimed she found the bear on the parking lot and that the witness could back her up," Detective Mike Branscum wrote in an affidavit. "When police got ready to get a written statement from the witness, she refused to give one."

Taylor was then arrested. The Craighead County Jail said Tuesday that Taylor remained in custody in lieu of $3,500 bond.

Brooks said that investigators think the theft was a random act.

"She never would give a reason why," he said.

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