Police: Tracker on phone led to man's arrest

A Jefferson City man was taken into custody after the owner of items he stole used a tracking device on her phone to help police catch him.

Michael Scaife, 56, 12 Jackson St., is charged with felony theft, stealing a firearm and stealing a credit device.

A police probable cause statement shows the incident occurred Friday in the 600 block of Monroe Street.

According to police, Scaife stole credit devices, a firearm, cash and an iPhone from a vehicle.

The iPhone was equipped with a tracking device, and the owner signed into her account and found the phone was moving and ended up in the 700 block of East McCarty Street.

Scaife had left the area by the time officers arrived, but owners of the house where he was staying said Scaife told them he thought police were following him so he left the phone there.

Officers eventually took Scaife into custody in the 700 block of Ohio Street.

A search of the property and vehicles at the place where Scaife was staying turned up the purse and wallet that had been taken with most of the items still inside.

Despite the evidence linking him to the crime, Scaife repeatedly denied any knowledge of the incident. Scaife has a long history of convictions for burglary, stealing, forgery, unlawful use of a weapon and assault.

He currently has charges pending in Cole County for receiving stolen property, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

As of Monday, he was being held on $75,000 bond in Cole County Jail.