FESTUS, Mo. (KMOV.com) -- A man serving his community service at a Festus food pantry later stole the pantry's van and was later caught and taken into custody.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recovered a cargo van that was stolen from Ozark Food Pantry and took a suspect into custody on Friday on I-55.
According to Corporal Juston Wheetley, an ambulance stopped to check on a van that was stopped on the shoulder of southbound I-55 between Barnhart and Pevely. He said paramedics discovered the male driver was extremely intoxicated so they notified the Highway Patrol. When a trooper arrived and did a check on the vehicle, it was discovered that the van had been reported stolen Thursday.
The Highway Patrol arrest report shows that 41-year old Dennis Eckstein was taken into custody. According to Ozark Food Pantry, Eckstein was serving as a volunteer at the non-profit as the result of court-ordered community service.
"He was always polite to me and that was so deceiving to me and now I learn my lesson," said food pantry president Carmelita Davidson.
Davidson said she checked surveillance video after discovering the van was missing and saw Eckstein taking the keys to the van from a drawer where they were kept.
"And he was really displaying a good work ethic to me," Davidson said. "Every time I ask him to do something he will do it proficiently."
Davidson told News 4 she thought Eckstein was doing community service because of a DWI conviction. But she learned after the theft that his criminal record includes multiple convictions for vehicle thefts.
Officials said the van was found in good shape but smelled of alcohol. Two empty beer cans were in it and a can of spray paint.
