Adam Tamburin

atamburin@tennessean.com

Two University of Tennessee students were arrested over the weekend after police said they were caught on camera breaking into Hawkins Field at Vanderbilt University and then trying to steal home plate.

Vanderbilt University police noticed the break-in on surveillance cameras around 2:30 a.m. Saturday. When they responded to Hawkins Field, they saw the men crouched down and "tampering with something on the field" near home plate, according to court documents.

Police later identified the men as suspects Forrest Bullen and Austin Shelton, both 21. According to their arrest warrants, Bullen and Shelton both ran for the outfield when police announced themselves.



Bullen eventually stopped and surrendered to police, according to his warrant. Police said Shelton jumped the fence at the edge of the field and kicked at officers as they tried to pull him down. He was taken into custody soon afterward on Vanderbilt Place.

After a search of the field, officers said they found a pair of scissors on the ground near home plate. Part of the turf had been cut up in that area. Police said the vandalism caused more than $10,000 in damage.

Both Bullen and Shelton are students at UT, according to school and public records. Bullen works as an intramural referee, according to the university's recreational sports department. Shelton was a transfer transition guide until Nov. 8, according to the university. A page listing Shelton as a campus employee was taken down from UT's website Monday.



The officers charged both men with attempted theft, evading arrest and trespassing. Shelton was also charged with felony vandalism and resisting arrest.

Bullen and Shelton are expected to face their charges in court in Davidson County on Dec. 16.

Tennessean staff writers Matt Slovin and Adam Sparks contributed to this report.

Reach Adam Tamburin at 615-726-5986 and on Twitter @tamburintweets.