An individual from Ottumwa, has been accused of unlawfully removing a license plate from a parked vehicle.
On November 7, 2025, at approximately 1:00 PM, the Ottumwa Police Department was dispatched to the 800 block of Albia Road. Upon arrival, officers discovered that Clint Smith, 41, of Ottumwa, had removed the rear-facing license plate from the victim’s vehicle without the victim’s knowledge. The vehicle was reported to be parked outside the victim’s apartment in a parking lot.
Court documents indicate that Smith has multiple prior theft convictions, with disposition dates of August 8, 2016, June 19, 2018, and December 20, 2024. Following his arrest, Smith was detained in the Wapello County Jail but was later released on November 25, 2025, with the promise to appear in court, without bond being set.
A preliminary hearing scheduled for December 1, 2025, was waived, and an arraignment hearing is set for January 21, 2026. However, Smith has since been re-admitted to the Wapello County Jail and is currently detained until the arraignment hearing. He faces charges of Theft in the 3rd degree, classified as an aggravated misdemeanor.
