Here's a note to all prospective car thieves: Driving a stolen car to police headquarters is not a good idea.



Apparently that message was lost on Carnell Eugene Butler, who St. Petersburg police say did just that before being arrested upon arrival at police headquarters.



The series of events that ended with Butler, 18, behind bars started Sunday when police recovered an abandoned Infiniti sedan that had been left near 13th Ave. S and 18th St. S.



Officers found a packet of court documents in the Infiniti with Butler's name on them. Officers were unable to locate Butler at that time.



Two days later, detectives contacted a relative of Butler's and left a message. Meanwhile that same day, Butler stole a Hyundai Sonata from a home in the Placido Bayou area, according to police.



Butler called detectives back and arranged to come to headquarters to pick up personal items related to when he was arrested in June (on car theft charges).



When Butler arrived at headquarters, the detective arrested him and found the keys to the stolen Sonata in his pocket. Acting on a hunch, the detective found the Sonata parked a block away from Police headquarters - Butler had driven the stolen car to his meeting at police headquarters.



Butler is facing two counts grand theft of a motor vehicle, violation of probation, and two counts burglary of an occupied dwelling, all occurring in the Placido Bayou neighborhood. He was already on probation for the June car theft.



Police also found a stolen bicycle at Butler's home. The bicycle had been stolen from an open garage in the Placido Bayou neighborhood.