CT Man Steals Mom’s Rental Car After Court Appearance: Cops

CONCORD, NH — A Connecticut man was arrested last month and held on cash bail after allegedly stealing his mother’s rental car and taking it for a “spin,” according to police. David I. Ferguson, 23, of Church Street in Middletown, CT, was arrested at 1:54 a.m. on Aug. 19, 2016, and charged with theft of a vehicle and receiving stolen property, both felonies, as well as driving after revocation or suspension, and unauthorized use of a propelled vehicle.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Concord Police Department and Concord District Court. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for NH Patch police reports.

According to an arrest report and court affidavit, an officer was sent to the Days Inn on South Main Street for a report of a motor vehicle theft at around 4:45 p.m. on Aug. 18.

When he arrived, he spoke to a woman from Connecticut who alleged that her son – Ferguson – had taken her rental car without permission and shouldn’t be driving because he didn’t have a license.

According to the report, she told the officer that her son requested a ride from Brighton, MA, to Concord, to attend a court hearing. So she rented a car – a Mini Cooper – at her home in Middletown on Aug. 17, picked him up in Boston, and they drove up to Concord so he could attend court the next day. They stayed the night before at the hotel, she noted.

After taking him to court, she returned to the hotel room to rest. She later received a phone call from Ferguson who stated that his case had been settled and he needed to be picked up, she stated. She went to pick him up and they went back to the hotel, according to the affidavit.

When they returned, he reportedly told her that he wanted to take the car for “a spin” around the parking lot. She refused, got out of the vehicle, and told him to, too. He allegedly wouldn’t, at first, but later, relented, and came into the room. A few minutes later, she lost sight of him and the vehicle was missing, too, according to the report. She showed the officer that she still had the key but alleged that he must have started the vehicle remotely since it had a push button starter. She also told the officer that the entire incident was captured on the Days Inn security surveillance system.

The officer eyed the video and confirmed her allegation, according to the report. The officer ran Ferguson’s driving information and confirmed his license in Connecticut was suspended in November 2007, and then issued a warrant for his arrest.

About eight hours later, at just before 2 a.m. on Aug. 19, Ferguson was arrested by New Hampshire State Police on the Concord warrant. He was processed and held on $2,000 cash bail and arraigned later that morning.