Vehicle's tracking system leads to arrest of suspect

Law enforcement got an assist from technology in recovering a stolen vehicle and arresting a suspect.

On Tuesday, Sean Poole of 1111 Harmony, Cape Girardeau, waived his preliminary hearing in Judge Gary Kamp's courtroom in connection with the theft, and was bound over to Division 1 to appear again June 7.

At 8 a.m. April 27, Scott Reinagel, a Southeast Missouri State University student, discovered that the 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe he parked behind his house at 354 N. Park was gone. The keys had been left in the vehicle.

About an hour and a half after the theft was reported to the police, the vehicle was found -- with Poole standing outside the vehicle on a rural road near Van Buren in Carter County. The Tahoe was equipped with OnStar, a system that, among other things, can track vehicles in case of theft.

By 3 p.m. Reinagel had the Tahoe back, although some items of clothing, a book belonging to the university and two cases of CDs were missing.

Chip Brewer, a deputy with the Carter County Sheriff's Department, said Poole was surprised to see his patrol car roll up behind the stolen Tahoe.

"He said, 'How did you find me so fast?'" Brewer said.

Poole has been in the Cape Girardeau County Jail since being arrested. Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said Poole was sentenced in late 2003 to five years for felony stealing but was released in April after completing a 120-day drug treatment program in prison. Poole could be ordered to complete his sentence, Swingle said.