07/07/2026
On 3/3/2026 at approximately 12:30 am a Piggott Police Officer observed a pickup truck pull into the parking lot of the Jitterbug Café and the driver exit the vehicle. As the driver walked around the truck with a small flashlight, the officer contacted the individual. The driver, identified as Wayne Griffin, stated that he had a tie rod that was bad. The officer observed that the truck was loaded with personal belongings and when asked, Griffin stated that he was heading back to Paragould. Griffin stated that he and his wife had gotten into a fight and he had loaded his stuff and left Paragould to driver around.
On 3/3/26 at 6:00 am when the dayshift officer relieved the night shift officer, he was advised of the situation involving Griffin earlier that morning and the night officer advised something just felt off with the situation. The dayshift officer checked on CourtConnect and discovered that Griffin had pending charges out of Osceola for multiple counts of Breaking or Entering and Theft of Property, all involving storage units. At that time the officer realized the location of where Griffin had been seen was near different sets of storage units and he first drove to the storage units located directly behind the Jitterbug Cafe. The officer did not notice anything out of the ordinary with any of the units. The officer then drove to the storage units located on Margaret Street and while checking them out the officer observed there were several with no locks on them and were open but had contents still inside. The officer also observed several pieces of padlocks on the ground around some of the units. The officer then contacted Piggott Police Chief Sam Poole to find out who owned the storage units. Chief Poole stated that he would get in contact with the person managing the storage units and advise them of the situation.
Once the person managing the units was advised, they contacted the owners of the storage units and multiple people came to the police department to report things stolen from their storage units. Officers with the police department were able to use a new program called Leads On Line that is connected to pawn shops across the country and view where the suspect, Wayne Griffin, had sold several items, some of which matched items stolen from the storage units. At this time Chief Poole contacted the Osceola Police Department who sent an officer to the pawn shop and was able to place a hold on the stolen items. Osceola Police Department also advised that Griffin was a person of interest in several thefts in their city and they were currently searching for him.
On April 21, 2026 the Piggott Police Department received information that Griffin was in custody at the Mississippi County Jail. A Piggott officer went to the jail and conducted an interview with Griffin and he admitted to the break ins at the storage units in Piggott. The Piggott Police Department was able to obtain a Felony Warrant for the arrest of Griffin on Commercial Burglary, Theft of Property, and Criminal Mischief charges once he is finished in Mississippi County. Griffin also incurred felony charges out of Stoddard County, MO for Burglary, 2nd and felony charges out of Craighead County, AR for Commercial Burglary and Theft of Property since his activities in Piggott on 3/3/26. The Piggott Police Department wants to extend a thank you to the Osceola Police Department and the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance in this case.
