ST. LOUIS — An Arnold man was arrested early Friday morning after leaving the South County Mall on an electric scooter, according to police. He was armed and carrying burglary tools, a fake security badge, and stolen jewelry. Jacob Scholtes now faces burglary and theft charges.
Court documents state that a mall security guard saw him riding an electric scooter within the mall premises around 1 a.m. The guard called the police, who intercepted Scholtes as he attempted to exit the mall.
The confrontation escalated when Scholtes ignored police orders to stop and get on the ground. He sped away on the scooter, prompting an officer to tackle him. In the process, it police discovered that Scholtes was armed with a loaded Glock 23 firearm on his right hip, a knife on his left hip, and an outer ballistic plate on his chest.
Further investigation revealed additional suspicious items on Scholtes, including a fake security badge, pepper spray, and black duct tape on his fingertips. A backpack on his back, which officers later opened, contained stolen jewelry. Police say Scholtes admitted to wearing the tape to avoid leaving prints and confessing to stealing the items.
The investigation also linked Scholtes to a broken glass display case at LA Jewelers, confirming the theft that the mall had reported. The stolen jewelry was discovered during the arrest.
Scholtes is being held on a $30,000, cash-only, bond.
