By Becky Gillette
Several vehicles have been stolen in Eureka Springs in the past month with the most recent being a black Subaru Legacy that was stolen from outside of Chelsea’s at 10 Mountain St. and later involved in a pursuit by Carroll County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) deputies.
Eureka Springs Police Det. Brian Jones said the Subaru belonged to an employee and keys had been left in the console. The vehicle was reported stolen at 10:14 p.m. Nov. 15. A suspect allegedly evaded a pursuit by the CCSO, and later abandoned the vehicle.
“The sheriff’s deputies chased him,” Jones said. “They knew who he was. He’s already been picked up.”
Jones said the Subaru was badly damaged. “They will probably total it,” he said.
The CCSO reported a 2001 red Dodge truck was allegedly taken from Green Forest by the same suspect, Brennan Alden Badley.
On Nov. 17 the CCSO issued an alert “asking for help in locating Brennan Alden Badley. Brennan is wanted for fleeing in a stolen vehicle from deputies last night and is a suspect in other cases. Brennan is considered armed and dangerous. If you see Brennan or know his whereabouts, please call 911, Facebook message or by email at tips@carrollcountsheriff.net. You can remain anonymous. Please share this post to help get the word spread around quickly.”
That was followed by another post that said: “Brennan Badley is in custody. Thank you all for the help in his apprehension.”
CCSO Major George Frye said the suspect was allegedly involved in a couple of different chases by the CCSO prior to being arrested without incident in Green Forest on Nov. 17.
“He has numerous charges against him,” Frye said.
Frye said those charges include auto theft, several counts of fleeing arrest, theft by receiving, possession of controlled substances, and carrying a prohibited weapon. Frye said Badley also had existing warrants. Badley is being held on $200,000 bond on the new charges and bond was set at $1,230 for charges with other agencies.
Frye described the theft of the vehicle at Chelsea’s as “a crime of opportunity. Keys were left in the vehicle. He got in it and drove away.” Frye advised people to lock their vehicles and take their keys with them.
Jones echoed that advice saying the vehicle stolen from Chelsea’s was the third reported stolen in the city this month. The two other thefts earlier in the month were vehicles where keys had been left in the ignition. Of the two prior thefts, one was outside of Eureka Live and the other was stolen from White Street.
“Our advice is pretty simple,” Jones said. “Yes, we are in small little town, and we want to think we are safe. But things still happen. The safest thing to do is lock your home and your vehicles. These three vehicles wouldn’t have been stolen if the keys weren’t right there. If the doors of these vehicles had been locked, they would have kept walking.”
Jones said the other two cars were abandoned. Citizens reported them, and police were able to return the vehicles to their owners.
Jones said a lot of people in Eureka Springs came here in the 1960s or 1970s when crime was very rare.
“It was just different world, a different time,” Jones said. “Back then, everybody knew everybody.”
There was also an incident recently where a resident of Linwood Ave. came home and found a man in his apartment. The intruder had crawled in through a window and said he thought a former girlfriend still lived there. The man fled and no arrests were made. It has caused some concern in that neighborhood with residents being more vigilant about strangers.
“We tell people if you don’t feel safe, if you see someone prowling around, don’t hesitate to call police,” Jones said. “We would rather have false call than a real call.”