Police Arrested Man at Capitol in Theft of Congressional Aides’ Phones

The United States Capitol Police last month arrested a man who broke away from a public tour and stole half a dozen phones belonging to congressional national security aides who left their electronic devices outside a secure work space, the agency said.

The incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. on June 17. The individual, identified by the agency as David Octavius Daffin, 36, returned to the Capitol after having been previously arrested five days earlier for unlawfully entering a congressional employee’s vehicle.

Mr. Daffin entered the Capitol on a public tour, broke away from his group and took an elevator from a public area to a hallway where aides on the defense subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee work, according to the Capitol Police. It was there that he took six phones, a smart watch and a pair of earphones that aides left outside a secure area.

Aides on the panel’s defense subcommittee oversee the budget for the Pentagon, as well as the highly classified “black budget” for U.S. intelligence agencies. Electronic devices are typically not allowed inside secure work spaces where classified information may be viewed, and it is typical for government officials to leave them in holding areas outside when they enter such spaces. Committee staff members have since installed lockboxes to secure their devices outside the work space that was robbed in this case.

Mr. Daffin was arrested approximately 45 minutes after the devices were stolen on charges of theft, unauthorized use of a vehicle, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property. He later returned to the Capitol a third time on Saturday, when officers arrested him on the East Plaza for violating the conditions of his release.

The incident