Woman accused of taking RTA vehicle is in jail

UPDATE @ 3:40 p.m.: The suspect is identified as Carla Courts, 47, and she is being detained at the Montgomery County Jail pending the filing of a formal charge of felony theft, police said.

Dayton Sgt. Randy Beane tells us the woman possibly is homeless and may be suffering from mental issues. Police believe she acted alone and has previously caused problems in the area of James H. McGee Boulevard and West Third Street, where she was arrested.

Investigators have been able to determine that Courts had been in the Donut Palace at least three times during the day, causing disturbances. Workers there identified her from their surveillance video, Beane said. Courts had been in the donut shop earlier Thursday evening before the RTA van incident, and became disorderly.

Workers put her out of the business, Beane said, and the woman left behind medication and her identification. Police have those items. Courts is due in court June 1 for her initial appearance in the case.

UPDATE @ 10:25 a.m. (May 29): Dayton police have taken a woman into custody who is suspected of stealing an RTA van. She was apprehended shortly before 10 a.m. and is being questioned by police.

FIRST REPORT (May 28)

Police are looking for the woman who stole an RTA van, drove it several blocks and left it running at the rear of The Donut Palace on James H. McGee Boulevard.

The vehicle was reported stolen from or near the Greater Dayton RTA Hub at West Third and Jefferson streets about 10:15 p.m. and was last seen headed west on Third.

There were no passengers aboard.

Police located it about 15 blocks later, after about 15 or so minutes, parked up against a Dumpster, behind the donut store at 100 N. James H. McGee at West Third.

Police have surveillance video — from the van — of the woman in the act, and they also have videotape of her from surveillance cameras in the donut shop.

The workers in the shop told police they recognized the woman and told them her name. Police called in an evidence crew to process the vehicle and a K-9 unit to search the neighborhood. At last check, the suspect had not been apprehended.