PARKER — The same 12-year-old boy that stole a school bus last month was arrested for stealing another school bus Wednesday morning.
“We found out the bus was stolen when a Carrabelle police over in Franklin County actually pulled the bus over for erratic driving and found that same 12-year-old boy, Michael Propst, the one that stole one from us three weeks ago,” said Mike Jones, safety and security officer at Bay District Schools.
“He just got out of (the Department of Juvenile Justice) yesterday on the last case where he stole the bus from us,” he said.
The juvenile had located a hidden key left in a school bus at Parker Elementary after the bus driver completed his bus route, Jones said, noting that hiding a key in a parked bus is a temporary standard procedure, so the bus driver was not penalized. Jones said school officials are working a new permanent procedure.
Propst drove the bus to
“It sticks out like a sore thumb — a Bay County bus in a rural area like that,” Parker Police Department’s Lt. Dennes Hutto said.
No injuries were reported and no passengers were on the bus, Jones said.
Unlike June’s incident, during which the youth fabricated a story about a man named “
Parker police escorted Propst to the police station Wednesday afternoon.
He was charged with trespassing on school property, grand theft auto and burglary of a conveyance by Parker police, along with other charges pending from Springfield Police Department.
June’s incident resulted in charges including grand theft of an item worth more than $100,000, felony criminal mischief and grand theft for a missing student recognition device worth about $2,000.
Stolen truck
Propst had allegedly stolen a truck the night before, according to the 12-year-old child’s aunt Kerry Shoute of
“When I come back, my truck wasn’t in the driveway,” Shoute said, recounting Tuesday night’s incident. When they went to bed he obviously took my truck sometime between 10:45 p.m. to 12 a.m.”
The reddish 1998 Mitsubishi Montero is still missing.
Parker Police confirmed the child had stolen the vehicle Tuesday night and the juvenile has refused to reveal the truck’s location.
“I’m pressing charges,” Shoute said.
By about 7 p.m. Shoute said the family was waiting on Propst’s call from the detention center. And the first question she wanted to ask him was regarding the location of her truck.
The juvenile is generally a good kid, Shoute said, and it’s unclear why he has stolen the vehicles.
“I really couldn’t tell you why; I really couldn’t,” Shoute said. “I’d take him where he’d want to go, and he knows that.
“But, he’d rather take then ask,” she said.
An earlier version of this story is posted below:
PARKER — The same 12-year-old boy who was charged with stealing a school bus last month was arrested for stealing another school bus Wednesday morning.
Wednesday’s joyride that ended in
The juvenile has been arrested and hasn’t spoken to officers, Hutto said.
As of 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Parker Police Department was transporting the juvenile back to the department’s headquarters for questioning, Hutto said. Police expect the juvenile to reveal where the first stolen vehicle is located.
The child will be charged with trespassing on school property, grand theft auto and burglary of conveyance by Parker’s police department. Other charges are pending from Springfield Police Department, Hutto said.
Check back later today for more details