On Friday (9/18) at approximately 10:09 a.m., Officers responded to the 1400 block of Second Street for a report of a suspicious male looking in vehicles and being on porches of houses. When Officers arrived in the area, the male was found to have unlawfully entered a residence in the 1500 block of First Street. When Officers arrived at this location, the male fled on foot out of the back door of the residence toward Broadway.
Officers began searching the area attempting to locate the male. The male was then seen running across Broadway toward Halstead. One officer gave chase and the male fled to the back parking lot of the National Guard Armory where he stole a white van owned by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and fled in the van on Halstead and then west on Webster Avenue.
The male suspect then left the van at a residence in the 1600 block of Webster Avenue, unlawfully entered the residence, and then ran into a wooded area between Webster Avenue and Broadway. The male was the later seen running behind houses between First Street and Broadway and then seen on a bicycle near Broadway. It was at this point the male was taken into custody by deputies with the Howell County Sheriff’s Office.
At the time of the arrest, the male was identified to be 36 year old Joseph L. Beard of Caulfield, MO. and was transported to the Howell County Jail. Beard has been formally charged with 1st Degree Burglary, Stealing of a motor vehicle (prior offender) and felony Resisting Arrest. Beard is currently incarcerated at the Howell County Jail with a bond set at $100,000.00.
