SMU Police arrested serial bike thief Rainey Benjamin CarterMonday after a brief foot chase near the Bank of Texas on HillcrestAvenue.
SMU student Tabari Stillman approached Carter near the bikeracks outside of Moore Hall Monday morning.
“I walked outside and saw this African-American malemessing with what looked like my friend’s bike,”Stillman said. After calling his friend to verify the ownership ofthe bike, he firmly told Carter to “put the bikedown.”
After Carter set the bike down, he remained standing, holdingthe bicycle seat.
“I told him to put the seat down, and he said, ‘Thisain’t your seat.’ I just told him to put the seat down,again,” Stillman said.
Carter dropped the seat and fled towards Hillcrest Avenue.Stillman called SMU Police and provided a description of the manand the direction of his travel. According to SMU Police ChiefMichael Snellgrove, the suspect hid between two parked cars in thebank’s parking lot off of Hillcrest Avenue. When officersmoved in, Carter fled on foot, but officers captured him shortlythereafter.
“It was weird [because] it was broad daylight, kids wereplaying on the playground right behind him, all these kids werewalking around going to class,” Stillman said.
SMU police suspect the recent string of bike thefts to beattributed to Carter who was arrested by SMU PD in January after hewas caught stealing bikes on campus.
Snellgrove is proud of how the community responded to thesituation.
“This is an excellent example of how the community and thepolice can work together to defeat criminals on your campus.Anytime someone suspects something suspicious is going on, call[the police department] immediately. The faster we’renotified, the better chance we have of catching the crooks,”he said.
This month, police have reported 10 bicycle thefts. Six of thebikes had been secured with a lock at the time of theft. Only onebike has been recovered. According Snellgrove’s statement,Carter was booked into Dallas County Jail on a parole violationwarrant. Theft and criminal trespass charges are pending.
