Sheriff’s deputy on bike catches suspect accused of stashing stolen school items in tricycle basket

A man suspected of a theft at a Virginia school was recently caught after a sheriff’s deputy responded to a report of a suspicious person.

According to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, on May 16 at around 8:05 p.m., a caller told authorities she spotted a male taking items from a shed at Rivermont School in Fredericksburg. 

Responding deputy A.G. Booth “found several items from the shed in a basket of a tricycle located in the parking lot,” the sheriff’s office said, noting that “bags containing various items were also in the basket and appeared to belong to the suspect.” 

Deputy Booth didn't locate the suspect, but a school employee was able to take a picture of the man before he fled. 

Later in the evening, at 11:17 p.m., deputies responded to another report of a suspicious person in Fredericksburg's Celebrate Virginia Parkway neighborhood. 

The caller told dispatchers the suspect appeared to be trying to break into vehicles, and the description of the suspect matched the description of the suspect from the Rivermont School theft, the sheriff’s office said.

“After an initial search for the suspect yielded no results, another caller advised the suspect was still in the area and appeared to be attempting to hide from deputies,” according to authorities. 

The sheriff’s office said that “in order to gain a tactical advantage over the suspect,” Deputy R.S. Dominguez “patrolled the area on his bicycle and quickly located the suspect, thwarting any further attempts to evade law enforcement.” 

Authorities alleged they were able to tie the suspect, 29-year-old Denver Ransom Porter, to the thefts at the school “by identification cards in his name that were left behind in the tricycle.” 

Porter was placed under arrest and booked into the Rappahannock Regional Jail on May 17. He faces multiple charges, including unauthorized entry and petit larceny, and is being held without bond.

Law enforcement officials said items allegedly found in his possession “raised suspicion that he was involved in additional thefts and there may be additional victims.”