Stafford sheriff says video shows bicycle, package thief

STAFFORD — (Stafford sheriff’s office press release) Two suspects behind recent larcenies were apprehended on Monday afternoon by deputies with the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office.

On March 18, 2019, at approximately 1:39 p.m., Deputy Torrice responded to reports of a stolen= package at a residence on Nugent Drive.

Upon arrival, a resident provided the deputy with Ring video footage showing a male subject run up to the porch, grab the package and then take off on a bicycle.

As he was diligently reviewing the footage, Deputy Torrice realized he recognized the male subject as the suspect in a recent bicycle larceny that occurred on March 14, 2019, at Rodney
Thompson Middle School. A concerned citizen had taken a photo of the suspect with the bicycle on Walpole Street shortly after it was stolen.

The deputy had information that the suspect lived in the area of Brannigan Drive, so he began patrolling the surrounding neighborhood in search of the suspect.

At the same time, Deputy Elliott Taylor advised that he was investigating another incident involving a suspect identified as Tahari Turk, 19, of Stafford in the same area. They saw Turk a basketball in the driveway of a residence on Brannigan Drive. Deputy Torrice exited his cruiser and made contact with Turk. He also observed the stolen bicycle in the driveway.

Turk was subsequently taken into custody. Deputies then received a call regarding a suspicious person nearby in the area of Bruce Street.

The subject was observed going from house to house looking inside windows. Deputy Torrice responded to the area and located the subject on Walpole Street. He made contact with the subject who was identified as Michel Smith, 29, of Stafford.

Smith admitted to stealing several packages that day including one from Nugent Drive. He told deputies that he threw the package away behind a dumpster at Pizza Hut after realizing it only
contained dog supplements. Deputies Torrice and Dominguez later located the stolen package behind the dumpster. Smith also admitted to stealing the bicycle.

Smith was taken into custody and incarcerated at Rappahannock Regional Jail on a secured bond. He is charged with three felony counts of petit larceny.

Turk was charged with conspiracy to commit a felony in connection with a cell phone larceny incident that occurred on January 22, 2019. He was held at Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.