SMU Police had issued two warrants for the arrest of Darryl E. McCrary on evidence linking him to campus thefts when the Arlington Police Department received a call from a local 24-Hour Fitness club on Nov. 3.

According to an Arlington police report, McCrary was caught stealing property in the club locker room of the fitness center. According to arresting officer E. Tenorio, witnesses were able to prevent McCrary from fleeing the scene as they waited for police to arrive.

Arlington police arrested McCrary, who lives on the 3000 block of Cross Bend Road in Plano, Texas, for credit card abuse and violating his parole. He was later charged with two counts of theft and credit card abuse in Arlington, according to the police department.

At the time of the arrest, McCrary confessed to two motor vehicle thefts and to purchasing items with stolen credit cards, according to an Arlington police report.

After the arrest, Arlington police called the SMU Police Department.

“I felt good about it,” said SMU Police Capt. Tommy Jones, who heads SMU police investigations. “I was glad he was caught.”

According to Jones, McCrary signed a written confession on Tuesday, admitting he had used the two credit cards he stole from the Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports, on Sept. 28 and Oct. 5, to purchase items at City Place Target.

“He knows he’s hurt a lot of people,” Jones said, adding that McCrary showed remorse during his confession.

It was at that moment when something strange happened: Jones recognized McCrary.

“He used to workout in the Dedman Center way back – in 1992,” Jones said, adding that McCrary admitted he used the facility.

In 1992, Jones was a patrol officer who routinely walked through the weight room in Dedman Center. Jones recalled McCrary as one of the guys who he regularly passed and occasionally chatted with, among others, during his usual patrol shift.

Jones, who has been working on the case for more than a month, was surprised.

“I didn’t recognize him at first,” Jones said, after meeting McCrary in person. “His whole look has changed.”

According to Jones, McCrary has a history of fitness center thefts.

“He knows it well,” Jones said. “He’s a pretty smooth talker. He has a real trusting personality.”

According to Jones, McCrary said he got into Dedman Center through the main entrance and carried out the thefts alone.

“When making policies, you try to think of all the possibilities. But, no matter what you do, there is always someone who will find a way,” said Judith Banes, director of Recreational Sports in Dedman Center.

Banes said she appreciates the hard work and efforts of Capt. Tommy Jones and the police department in solving the case.

Though police were able to catch McCrary, interim SMU Police Chief Rick Shafer advised Dedman Center members to stay alert.

“This doesn’t mean to let your guard down,” interim SMU Police Chief Rick Shafer said. “Although I think we’ve seen the last of him.”