A 37-year-old Sulphur Springs man was arrested early Tuesday morning for allegedly breaking into the Veterans of Foreign War Post 8560. July 16 marks the second time in a week Derrick Dwayne Smith has arrested in the early morning hours, after police allegedly caught him with stolen items.
Smith was first arrested in the wee hours of July 9 for the alleged theft of items from a South League Street gas station. Police reportedly caught Smith at the apartment complex next to the store with stolen merchandise, and was released from the county jail later that day on the misdemeanor charge, according to arrest and jail reports.
At 3 a.m. Tuesday, July 16, Sulphur Springs police were to the VFW, where a person had reported seeing what appeared to be two people attempting to break into the VFW. Sheriff’s deputies also responded at the location, according to arrest reports.
Upon arrival, SSPD Cpl. Chris Rosamond reported a gate leading to the back of the property, an area not open to the public at that time, was found pried open. A search of the area around the building revealed Smith “laying on the ground.” He was alleged to be in “possession of several bank bags that were previously located in the office,” Rosamond alleged in arrest reports.
After checking the building, officers contacted the manager, who reportedly accessed the VFW’s video surveillance system, which confirmed two people had entered the building, Rosamond alleged in arrest reports. Only Smith was located at the scene and arrested as of late Tuesday morning. A solid wood office door and metal outdoor commercial door allegedly damaged during the burglary, according to police reports.
Smith was charged with burglary of a building, the VFW. He remained in the county jail later Tuesday morning, July 16. Bond was set at $5,000 on the charge, according to jail reports.
Tuesday also wasn’t the first time Smith has been charged with burglary. He was reportedly taken into custody May 18, 2011, and sentenced to a four-year commitment to Texas Department of Criminal Justice for burglary, according to jail reports.
