John C. Worrell III claimed he was receiving 'coded messages' saying he was in danger
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A federal contract worker stole an FBI agent’s car from the bureau’s headquarters in Washington and tried to get into a restricted facility before he was arrested, authorities said in court documents filed Wednesday.
John C. Worrell III worked at FBI headquarters and drove the car out of the bureau garage using keys the agent had left in the vehicle, according to court documents. He had a contractor access badge and leaving keys inside vehicles is typical practice due to limited parking, investigators wrote.
He is facing charges of theft of government property and transportation of stolen property.
His father, John Worrell Jr., said his son had recently been dealing with heavy personal stress and didn’t have any grudge against the government or FBI, and wasn't affiliated with any group. His attorney, Jay Mykytiuk, said he was still familiarizing himself with the facts of the case and didn't have immediate comment.
A sign outside the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, D.C., is seen on July 3, 2023. (Celal Güneş/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
After the agent discovered the car was missing, FBI police eventually found surveillance video showing the dark green four-door sedan leaving the garage.
Worrell drove the car to the FBI facility in Vienna, Virginia, documents state. He showed the agent’s credentials and claimed to have a classified meeting at the facility, but was confronted by security guards when he couldn't produce an access card.
He was arrested wearing the agent’s jacket and glasses, and acknowledged taking the car from the FBI garage, court documents stated. Police found a handgun magazine that belonged to the FBI agent in a fanny pack during a search of the car.
He told police he believed he had been receiving "coded messages" over the last several weeks saying he was in danger, and was trying to go to a secure facility where he could be "safe," court documents state. He had previously visited the Vienna site as part of his job working for an outside government contractor assigned to FBI headquarters.
