City officials said Tuesday that Jeremy Floyd of Muldrow resigned as police chief by phone at 9:26 a.m. July 25. Verlita Meade, assistant mayor, would not elaborate on the details surrounding Floyd's resignation, but referred Your TIMES to the OSBI for comment.
When asked if the OSBI was investigating anything relating to Floyd, Meade responded, "Just contact them. I'm not at liberty to say."
Jessica Brown, OSBI public information director, confirmed Tuesday that agents are investigating the theft of an $8,000 piece of equipment at a Vian business. The alleged theft occurred between July 24 and 27.
When asked if Floyd had anything do to with the investigation, Brown said she didn't know and added, "We don't give out names of suspects unless someone has been arrested."
On Wednesday morning, Brown said that she spoke to the agent investigating the case Tuesday evening and the agent did not indicate anyone has been arrested for the theft or that there is a suspect.
Simon's Ace Home Center was the target of the thief, who stole a utility vehicle, worth nearly $9,000, from the business, which is located at the corner of U.S. Highway 64 and Thornton Street in Vian - just steps from the police department and city hall.
Joe Paul Simon, the business owner, said he had a customer come into his store on the morning of July 25 and tell him that during the night the customer was driving by when she spotted a man near the mowers and tillers. When the customer called out to the person, he ran off. The customer allegedly called the police and didn't get a response.
"I didn't notice the unit was missing until Saturday morning," Simon said, adding that when he went to inspect the scene he saw the chain fastened to the unit had been cut. The unit was a Cub Cadet utility vehicle which retails for $8,600.
The theft led Simon to call the customer to retrieve the time that the suspicious person was near his business. Using that information, Simon pulled the video surveillance, which monitors his business.
"It showed the whole thing," Simon said.
Simon immediately contacted law enforcement.
Simon would not reveal what was on the video, and he was also told by OSBI not to show the video to the press.
But he said, "It's pretty evident (who it is)."
What seemed astonishing to Simon was the boldness of the crime, which occurred at a business that has lights, surveillance and neighbors city hall. He said since the store has been in his family since 1947, they have not had anything stolen, with the exception of a propeller off a boat once.
The theft at Simon's store is apparently not the first in the town. Simon said there are two or three Cub Cadets missing in Vian.
What Simon wants is for those responsible to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and he wants his merchandise to be recovered.
Brown said the OSBI got the case on Monday and was requested to investigate by Vian's acting chief, Danny Hoover. Hoover would not comment on the OSBI investigation.
Mayor Kenneth Johnson said both Hoover and Officer Dennis Thomas are acting as supervising officers until a new chief is hired. A special town council meeting is planned Thursday, in which the council is set to vote on advertising a new chief.
Johnson said the reason that Floyd gave for resigning was that he was seeking other job opportunities that would be better suited for him. Two other officers, hired by Floyd in May, also resigned last week. Officers John Lander and Joe Watkins resigned the night after they learned of Floyd's resignation, Johnson said.
Floyd was hired in April after the town council fired the town's former police chief, Mike Thomas; former assistant police chief, Steve Brackett; and Officers Monty Davis and Tim Wiley, "for the good of the service," after complaints were voiced about the department in March. In response to the firings, most of the town's reserve officers turned in their badges.
Floyd was previously a criminal investigator from Crawford County, Ark., Sheriff's Department. Floyd previously worked as an investigator for the Waldron, Ark., Police Department and as a sergeant deputy at Delaware County Sheriff's Department.
