07/20/09TV vandal returns to Wal-Mart......with a lamp

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Three days after a Klamath man was arrested at Wal-Mart for allegedly smashing several televisions with a softball bat, he was back at the scene of the crime — this time with a lamp.

Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Jeremy Allan Rhodes, 21, on Wednesday for suspicion of second degree burglary and felony vandalism after receiving a call that he was once again destroying electronics in the Washington Blvd. store.

“Wednesday afternoon he was there, doing it again,” Sheriff’s Office Cmdr. Bill Steven said Thursday. “Surveillance showed him walking into the electronics area with a lamp and then he began hitting TVs with it.”

Rhodes allegedly smashed seven TVs at Wal-Mart with a softball bat on Sunday, causing $5,800 worth of damage. At that time, he was taken into custody on the same charges he was arrested for Wednesday, but was released from jail Tuesday because the Del Norte County District Attorney’s Office did not file charges against him in the original crime.

“We released him because he didn’t go to court on time,” Steven said.

An official from the District Attorney’s Office said they had not received the Sheriff’s Office report for the alleged Sunday vandalism in the 48 hour time limit required by law, and therefore could not prosecute the case.

Steven declined to comment on whether the report had been done on time.

On both Sunday and Wednesday, Steven said Rhodes was arrested without incident. He added that it is still unknown as to what motivated the outbursts, or why Rhodes had returned to Wal-Mart on Wednesday to allegedly repeat the crime.

“It’s still under investigation,” Steven said. “But there seems to be some mental issues involved.”

As of Thursday evening, Rhodes was being held in Del Norte County Jail, and his bail is set at $10,000.