Reckless Ben Responds to AF Police Chief's Statement

American Fork Police arrested YouTuber Ben Schneider, known online as Reckless Ben, on June 2, 2026, after he picketed outside Bricks & Minifigs store in American Fork, Utah. Schneider, 30, from Los Angeles, faces charges of stalking, picketing, and trespass, according to police records. The incident stems from his trip to support local store owner Bryan Mansell, who claims thieves stole thousands in Lego sets earlier this year. ### Why did Reckless Ben come to Utah? Reckless Ben arrived in Utah last week to help Bryan Mansell recover stolen Lego sets worth over $10,000. Mansell, owner of Bricks & Minfig store on North University Parkway, reported the theft on May 15, 2026, to American Fork Police. He posted on Facebook about the incident, drawing attention from Schneider's 1.2 million subscribers . Schneider, who runs a channel focused on confronting thieves and scammers, drove from California to "expose" potential leads. He posted videos of his journey on X, stating he planned to "meet Bryan and help him fight back." A video uploaded June 1 shows him arriving at Mansell's store with a megaphone. ### What exactly did the police say about him? American Fork Police Chief Bill Bailey addressed Schneider's actions in a statement released June 2 evening. Bailey said Schneider "crossed into harassment territory" by yelling at store employees and refusing to leave after closing. "We have laws to protect businesses from this kind of disruption," Bailey said in the release posted on the department's Facebook page. Bailey noted three prior complaints against Schneider from that day, including one from a nearby resident. The chief emphasized local ordinances prohibit picketing within 100 feet of private property after business hours. Schneider was booked into Utah County Jail at 9:47 p.m. local time. ### How did Reckless Ben respond to the chief? Schneider fired back on X early June 3 from the jail holding facility. "Your chief called me a harasser for standing up for a victim of crime. This is why people don't trust police," he wrote in a post viewed 247,000 times. He vowed to "keep fighting for Bryan until we get his Legos back or expose who did it." In a follow-up video from his phone, Schneider called Bailey's comments "a blatant lie." He claimed police arrived unprompted and arrested him "for nothing." "I was leaving when they cuffed me," Schneider said. ### What's the dispute with Bricks & Minifigs about? Bryan Mansell accused former employee Daniel Nielson of breaking into the store after quitting in April. Nielson allegedly pried open the back door at 2:17 a.m. on May 14 and took 47 rare sets valued at $12,400 wholesale. Police recovered two sets from a pawn shop but held the remaining 45. Mansell praised Schneider's visit on Instagram, saying it "brought more eyes to this crime." However, Bricks & Minifigs manager Sarah Olson told KSL-TV that Schneider's protest "scared customers away." ### Why is this escalating into a public fight? Schneider questioned the police response on his Patreon, claiming bias toward the store. "Cops are protecting the wrong people here," he wrote in a $5-a-month subscriber update. Chief Bailey replied on the city's X account: "We enforce the law equally. Mr. Schneider broke it." Utah County Attorney Scott Banks has scheduled arraignment for June 10, 2026. Possible penalties include up to 364 days in jail and $2,890 in fines if convicted on all counts. ```