Man Arrested Three Times in Two Weeks

A local man will be in court next week to face a number of charges after arrests last month.

Todd Michael Horstkotte, 42, a homeless man now located in Concord, was arrested at 11:48 a.m. on Dec. 8, 2013, on a criminal trespass charge; at 11:59 a.m. on Dec. 13, on criminal trespass and default or breach of bail conditions charges, and again at 5:55 p.m. on Dec. 23, on theft by unauthorized taking or transfer and default or breach of bail conditions charges. At 1:23 p.m. on Dec. 8, he received a summons for prohibitions on roadways.

According to Concord Police arrest reports, officers were called to Shaw’s Supermarket on Fort Eddy Road for an unwanted panhandler near the entrance of the shopping center. The man, Horstkotte, reportedly didn’t have a license but gave his name and dispatch stated that he had been given a no trespass letter for the property on Dec. 4, 2013, so he was arrested.

After being released, Horstkotte reportedly returned to the intersection of Loudon Road and Fort Eddy Road to panhandle and was later, allegedly seen standing in traffic, accepting money from drivers. An officer issued a summons to Horstkotte for the violation.

Five days later, officers were called to Shaw’s again where Horstkotte was allegedly panhandling again, in violation of the no trespass order. When the officer arrived, Horstkotte allegedly picked up his sign and walked away from the plaza. The officer ordered him to stop but he allegedly kept walking. The officer caught up with Horstkotte and he was arrested.

On Dec. 23, officers were called to Sears on Loudon Road for a shoplifter in custody.

A loss prevention officer alleged that Horstkotte was seen on video surveillance cameras selecting a Music Bullet portable audio speaker valued at $15 from a shelf. But later, the employee allegedly didn’t see him with the item in his hands.

The employee alleged that Horstkotte was “fidgeting with his front jacket pocket” and left the store without paying for anything. Another employee went over to the shelf and confirmed that there was a speaker missing.

Horstkotte was approached in the mall food court and allegedly handed the speaker back to one of the employees, according to the report.

The officer watched the video footage and confirmed the employees’ allegations. The officer contacted Horstkotte about an hour later and told him he was under arrest. He’s due in court on Jan. 27.

Editor’s note: The following story was derived from information supplied by the Concord Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction.