ARKANSAS ARRESTS MADE IN COMPUTER THEFT CASE NWAnews.com :: Northwest Arkansas' News Source

UAPD makes arrests in separate computer thefts

BY KATE WARD Northwest Arkansas Times

Posted on Friday, October 26, 2007

said Lt. Gary Crain with the University of Arkansas Police Department.

The most recent theft report came to UA police on Oct. 18 when a staff member reported seven laptop computers, a camera and a projector missing from the College of Business. The theft is believed to have occurred sometime between the night of Oct. 16 and the early morning hours of Oct. 17.

Further investigation revealed Short as a suspect.

“ He was caught on film, ” Crain said.

Detectives traced Short to his residence on Sycamore Street, where he was taken into custody Tuesday night and transported to the Washington County Detention Center.

“ We got everything back, ” Crain said. “ All the computers were still inside his (residence ). ”

Short was enrolled in the College of Business at the time of his arrest. Crain said his fate at the UA will be determined by the university’s Judicial Board.

“ My bet is that he’ll be expelled, ” he said.

UA police also arrested Hatfield on Tuesday night in connection.

Police suspect Hatfield stole eight new computers from a storage closet inside Daniel E. Ferritor Hall sometime over Labor Day weekend.

A staff member reported the theft on Sept. 4 after discovering eight new computers missing. The computers had just been purchased and were still in boxes at the time they went missing.

Crain said he wasn’t sure how detectives identified Hatfield as a suspect.

“ Our investigators have been so busy lately, and I haven’t had a chance to talk to them yet, ” he said.

Hatfield was employed as a facilities staff member at the UA when the theft occurred.

Police were unable to recover any of the stolen property from the case.

“ Apparently he’d already gotten rid of it, ” Crain said. “ I guess he’s going to have to find a way to pay for it himself. ”

Short and Hatfield were released from the Washington County Detention Center on Wednesday.

Short’s bond amount had not been posted, but he is expected to appear in the Washington County Circuit Court on Nov. 11.

Hatfield’s bond was set at $ 2, 500. He is expected to make his first court appearance sometime today.

Two suspects face criminal charges stemming from two separate burglaries on the University of Arkansas campus.

UA student Matthew Short, 20, of 132 Sycamore St. in Fayetteville, is accused of stealing seven computers from the Sam M. Walton College of Business late last week. UA staff member Troy Hatfield, 36, of 22541 War Eagle Black Top in Springdale, is accused of stealing eight computers from a storage facility in Ferritor Hall early last month.

Both suspects face felony charges of commercial burglary and theft of property.

“ What’s ironic is that we arrested both of them on the same night, ”