Mitchell man stopped for traffic violation later charged with local car theft

A Mitchell man has been arrested for grand theft in connection with a stolen vehicle he was found driving.

Richard Little Hoop, 18, apparently took a blue Dodge Stratus from the Village Bowl parking lot just after midnight Tuesday.

He was pulled over at 12:33 a.m. near Third Avenue and Sanborn Boulevard for driving without the headlights on. The officer found Little Hoop had no driver’s license and identified him through questioning, said Detective Lt. Don Everson, of the Mitchell Police Division.

At that time, the police did not know for sure that the vehicle was stolen.

The officer cited Little Hoop for driving without a license, made him remove the keys from the vehicle and park it.

Just five hours after the traffic stop, the owners reported that the Dodge Stratus was missing.

Little Hoop admitted to having stolen the vehicle, Everson said. Little Hoop still had the car’s keys in his possession when authorities arrested him for grand theft.

The owner has recovered the car and plans to press charges, Everson said.

Little Hoop did not know the owner.

“He took the first car he saw with keys in it,” Everson said. “Never leave your keys in the car and always lock your vehicle when you’re not using it. And don’t leave valuables in your car.”

Little Hoop remains in custody at the Davison County Jail.

Grand theft is a felony, punishable by 10 years in prison, a $20,000 fine or both.

Tags: stolen car, news, local, mitchell, crime, theft, updates