A reported burglary in progress at a house in central Pine Bluff on Friday morning resulted in the arrest of three people who were reportedly loading furniture into a truck when police arrived.
Markell Crater, 18; Charles Bennett, 65; and Kevin Franklin, 18, were taken into custody by Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deprtment Capt. Bernard Adams, who held the three until police arrived.
During a court hearing Monday, Deputy Prosecutor Maxie Kizer said a neighbor reported the incident at 3006 S.Linden St., and when the owner of the house was contacted, she said she did not know any of the three, and they did not have permission to take anything from the house.
Franklin reportedly initially told police he was 17 and was taken to the juvenile detention center where he was held until Monday when police determined his real age.
Kizer said Crater has pending burglary charges in Jefferson County Circuit Court while Bennett had several prior felony convictions. No prior convictions or pending charges could be located for Franklin.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Pine Bluff District Judge John Kearney ruled prosecutors had probable cause to charge all three men with residential burglary and theft of property, and told them to come back to court June 4 at 9 a.m.
Kearney set a $10,000 bond for Franklin, and $25,000 bonds for Crater and Bennett.
Bennett said he would hire his own attorney while the Public Defender’s Office was appointed to represent Crater and Franklin.