Residents in a Benton neighborhood assisted officers from the Benton Police Department in identifying a man with an active absconding warrant. Timothy Swank, 41, of Benton surrendered to officers after arrival of a SWAT team Wednesday morning.
At approximately 10:25 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to the 500 block of Latimer for a report of a possible burglary in progress. A victim told officers that someone broke into his home and he decided to ask a neighbor if he witnessed anyone on the property. The victim said when he knocked on the neighbor’s home, an unknown man holding a pistol came to the door and told him to leave.
Officers noted that upon arrival to the scene the porch light and a light inside the home was turned off and a person was later heard walking around inside the home. However, no person inside the home would respond to officers calling them to exit. Several residents told officers the man inside the home was believed to be Swank. Officers said the residents, including the burglary victim, positively identified Swank in a picture shown to them.
The Benton Police Department’s SWAT team responded to the scene and upon verbal commands to exit the home, Swank exited the home and was taken into custody. Swank was served warrants for Fleeing, class C felony; Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, class A misdemeanor; Fleeing by Vehicle, class D felony; Possession of a Controlled Substance, class D felony; Unauthorized Use of Another Person’s Property to Facilitate a Crime, class B felony; Fleeing on Foot, class C misdemeanor; Reckless Driving, class A misdemeanor; Fleeing, class C misdemeanor; and an absconder warrant from Probation and Parole.
This is an on-going investigation and additional charges could be possible.
Anyone with information about this crime is encouraged to contact the Benton Police Department at 501-778-1171 or 501-315-TIPS. Individuals also may send us an anonymous crime tip about this incident to CRIMES (274637) with the keyword BNPD in the body of the text or go to www.crimereports.com to leave a tip. A crime tip can also be submitted via the official Benton Police Department app found on ITunes and Google Play.
Any suspects listed are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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