A Davenport man is in the Scott County Jail on a combined $26,300 bond after being accused of breaking into a storage unit and stealing valuable collector coins.
Police received a tip that 36-year-old Benjamin Reid had a hotel room containing stolen items. A search of the room uncovered bronze coins, jewelry, and other property believed to be stolen. Officers also found a receipt from Quad City Coin Co. showing Reid had sold $3,923.24 worth of sterling silver coins that day.
Investigators learned Reid had pawned or sold additional sterling silver coins at multiple locations. Witnesses stated Reid had picked the lock of a storage unit at StorageMart on E. 53rd Street in Davenport. One victim confirmed that Franklin Mint coin sets totaling about $6,388 were stolen and sold by Reid. Some coins were even traded for methamphetamine. Two Franklin Mint 10,000-grain sterling silver bars worth $1,296 were identified from photos on Reid’s phone.
During the hotel search, Reid was found in possession of 34 Franklin Mint bronze coin sets valued at around $1,000, along with five boxes of coin holders and various collector coins. Cell phone records placed him near StorageMart on multiple dates from July through September.
When Davenport Police attempted to take Reid into custody at the Days Inn Hotel on December 22, he allegedly slammed the hotel room door into officers in an effort to avoid arrest.
Reid faces the following charges:
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Felony first-degree theft
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Felony criminal conduct
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Felony third-degree burglary
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Misdemeanor possession of burglary tools
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Misdemeanor interference with official acts
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Misdemeanor assault on persons in certain occupations
He remains in Scott County Jail awaiting his initial court appearance.
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