Police beat

Man stole from lot's pay box, police say

A Little Rock man was arrested Tuesday, accused of taking five $1 bills from a parking lot pay box.

Little Rock police arrested Michael Nelson, 27, after watching him take money from the cash drop of a Best Park parking lot on East Markham Street, according to a police report.

Officers reported finding the dollar bills with Nelson when he was arrested. He was charged with misdemeanor theft of property.

Nelson was transported to the Pulaski County jail but was not listed on the jail's roster Tuesday evening.

3 kids said to have vandalized book fair

Three children stole cash and vandalized a book fair at a Little Rock school over the weekend, authorities said.

Security footage from Rockefeller Elementary School on 700 E. 17th St. shows three children rummaging through the merchandise at a Scholastic Book Fair, according to a report from the city's Police Department.

The students, listed as a 7-year-old and two 9-year-olds, also tore open boxes, knocked over displays and moved merchandise before stealing an undisclosed amount of money, the report states. Police said the break-in occurred after school closed Friday and before 8 a.m. Saturday.

A teacher told police that the trio most likely entered the building through a back door that had not been closing properly.

No charges were filed, and the school will implement all disciplinary measures, authorities said.

Man, 70, fights off bid to steal phone

A 70-year-old central Arkansas man was attacked by three strangers Saturday in North Little Rock, but he refused to give up his cellphone, police said.

The Mabelvale resident told officers he was walking back from a store when a newer black Dodge Ram pulled up next to him in the 1800 block of East Washington Avenue.

According to a report from the city's Police Department, he said three males jumped out of the pickup and that one of them told him, "I want that phone."

One of the attackers hit the victim on the nose twice, but he refused to give up his phone and began to fight back, the report states.

The 70-year-old told officers that during the struggle, he heard a woman yell from the truck, "You will go back to jail." The trio then got back into the truck and left, the report states.

Officers noted that the victim had a small cut on the bridge of his nose, but he refused medical treatment.

He described the individual who hit him as a black man in his mid-20s to early 30s who stands about 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs 120 pounds and has shoulder-length dreadlocks.

No suspects were named, and no arrests had been made at the time of the police report.

Assailants rob man playing basketball

A 21-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint Sunday while playing basketball at a North Little Rock elementary school, according to a police report.

North Little Rock officers said it happened about 5:30 p.m. at Meadow Park Elementary School, 801 E. Bethany Road.

The victim told authorities that he was playing basketball when three youths pulled out guns, punched him in the mouth and stole his cellphone.

The gunmen then rummaged through his car but did not take anything, according to a report from the city's Police Department. The 21-year-old North Little Rock man added that he thought two of the robbers went by "Quell" and "New New."

No suspects had been named, and no arrests had been made at the time of the police report.

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Metro on 09/12/2018

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