Suspected flute thief had just gotten off Kansas parole, records show

The suspected thief who was caught on video slipping a flute into his shorts pockets at a west Wichita music store has been arrested, records show.

Surveillance video released Friday by Crime Stoppers showed the man walk into Damm Music Center near Central and Tyler, keeping an eye on the cashier. The man picked a $1,500 flute on display, took it apart and slipped the pieces into his shorts pockets before leaving the store.

A suspect was arrested Saturday afternoon. Sedgwick County Jail booking reports show Jason Leroy James was arrested on suspicion of theft in connection to the case. James is no longer in jail.

James, 42, had been on parole in Sedgwick County last month after prior theft and burglary convictions before his sentence expired Aug. 11, Kansas Department of Corrections records show. He was convicted in May 2017 of burglary and theft, in November 2009 of theft and in May 2007 of four counts of burglary and five counts of theft.

He spent time in state prisons in Winfield and El Dorado before he was moved to Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility, where he was disciplined for theft in August 2017, KDOC records show.

James owes $6,933 to the Sedgwick County District Court, records show.

Officer Charley Davidson said Wednesday that the flute has not been recovered. The serial number on the flue is FL213516. Police ask anyone with information on the case to call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

This story was originally published September 26, 2018 at 6:38 PM.