Ark City PD investigating rash of vehicle burglaries, thefts

Suspected thieves are thought to come east from Sumner County on spree

ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (May 7, 2021) — The Arkansas City Police Department is asking for public assistance in investigating a recent rash of vehicle burglaries and thefts though the Arkansas City area.

The investigation began when an Arkansas City resident reported their vehicle as stolen early Thursday morning. With the assistance of OnStar, the vehicle was disabled, located and recovered.

While that vehicle was being recovered, several other citizens began to discover they also had been the victim of burglaries involving their unlocked motor vehicles. Efforts apparently were made in many of these incidents to steal the vehicles and damage to their steering columns was present.

Additionally, another vehicle was stolen, wrecked and left abandoned a couple blocks away from where it had been taken. The suspect then entered a vacant residence.

On Thursday afternoon, a vehicle stolen from Sumner County was located behind a local hotel.

The same suspects responsible for that particular vehicle theft also are thought to be responsible for a rash of break-ins that occurred Wednesday in Sumner County. The same suspects are thought to have traveled to the Arkansas City area, where they again participated in numerous break-ins and thefts.

Presently, the persons responsible for these incidents are still at large. Police are seeking them for questioning in eight different burglaries to motor vehicles, two motor vehicle thefts and two cases of criminal trespass, and also in connection with felony possession of stolen property.

If anyone has any information about these incidents, or any others, they are being asked to contact Sergeant – Detective Travis Stroud or Detective Corey Combs of Arkansas City Police Department.

Anyone with information about these incidents is encouraged to contact Detective Sgt. Travis Stroud or Detective Corey Combs at the Arkansas City Police Department at (620) 441-4444.

Those wishing to remain anonymous also may contact Cowley County Crime Stoppers, which offers rewards of up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest, by calling (620) 442-7777 in Arkansas City or (620) 221-7777 in Winfield.

Additionally, the Arkansas City Police Department now offers the ability to “Submit a Tip” anonymously on its website at www.arkcity.org/police/webform/submit-tip .

Tips also can be submitted anonymously by texting COWLEYTIPS to TIP411 847411.