BENTONVILLE -- A Rogers man was arrested Tuesday in connection with aggravated robbery, commercial burglary and theft of property.
Matthew McClellan Vought, 37, was being held in the Benton County Jail with no bond set. Prosecutors haven't filed any formal charges against Vought.
Rogers police were called at 7 a.m. Oct. 18 to Lifetime Dental at 805 N. 20th Place concerning a report of a man armed with a knife demanding money from an employee of the business.
Connie Gonitzke told police she arrived at work at 6:50 a.m. to open the business. She said she later heard the chime when the door opened, but she didn't see anyone, according to a probable cause affidavit. Gonitzke said she was confronted by a man coming out of the treatment area, according to court documents.
According to the affidavit, Gonitzke said the man was holding a pocketknife and began walking toward her and demanded money from her.
The man told her he was desperate and continued moving toward Gonitzke, according to the affidavit. The man fled the business after Gonitzke gave him $11 from her purse and $50 in petty cash from the office, according to court documents.
Police looked into similar crimes around Oct. 18 and identified Vought as a suspect. He had been arrested earlier for other crimes, and police interviewed Vought at the Benton County Jail.
Vought told police he had been living on the streets for the past five months and had to figure out ways to survive, according to court documents. Vought said he never intended on hurting anyone and didn't know it was a dentist's office until he went in the building, according to the affidavit.
Vought told police he only had the knife in order to control the situation. Vought's arraignment is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Dec. 18 in Circuit Judge Robin Green's court.
NW News on 11/08/2017