Hope Police assist Springhill, LA Police in arrest

HOPE – Thursday (January 29, 2026), the Springhill, LA Police Department and the Hope Police Department worked together to solve a months-long investigation. Springhill Police Det. Niki Anderson, Sgt. Britney Lynd, and Chief Will Lynd traveled to Hope to attempt to find Kevin Chess Smith, 38, of Bradley, AR, a suspect in an Identity Theft Crime.

Springhill Police Department found a 2023 GMC Canyon Denali that was allegedly purchased with stolen identities from a couple of older citizens in Springhill. The truck was allegedly purchased in Huntsville, Texas and delivered to Hope in October. Chief Lynd said he contacted Hope Police Department and Det. Oller came and assisted.

After watching the vehicle for most of the day, the suspect, Kevin Chess Smith, allegedly came and got into the truck and began to drive away when officers surrounded the vehicle and took Smith into custody.

Smith had warrants for the State of Arkansas for a parole violation for Identity Theft, warrants through Minden, LA Police Department for Identity Theft with a bond of $60,000.

Smith was booked into the Hempstead County Detention Center Hope and will later be extradited back to Louisiana. The truck will be turned back over to the finance company.

Chief Lynd in a statement said, “I am extremely proud of the time Det. Anderson has put into this investigation and commitment she showed with little to no evidence to go on. She stayed committed to the investigation and solving this crime for this older couple in our community. I would like to thank Hope Police Department for dropping everything they were doing and assisting us in this investigation and arrest.”