Stolen property recovered, man arrested

The Communications Center began receiving calls reporting items taken from unsecured vehicles at 4:45 a.m. Tuesday from the 200 block of East Broadway. Calls continued throughout the morning.

A person was seen running from the area by the caller. Police responded to the area and located a vehicle which had been reported stolen from Oklahoma City. The vehicle was processed by Ponca City Police officers and then towed from the scene.

More victims called and reported items missing from their unlocked vehicles as the morning progressed. A caller from the 800 block of North Palm Street reported about 6:45 a.m. that a man had just taken a purse from a vehicle and ran west on Highland Avenue. Officers responded and arrested 19-year-old Steven D. Gomez just before 7 a.m. near the intersection of Palm Street and Highland Avenue.

Officers recovered what they believed was stolen property in the 700 block of North Palm. More calls reported items taken from vehicles in the 1200, 1300 and 1400 blocks of North Pine, 2100 block of Berkshire and 2200 block of Havenwood. A second caller from the 2200 block of Havenwood reported finding an amplifier from a car stereo left on his truck this morning. The property was recovered by police.

Officers are returning the recovered property to the rightful owners as this investigation continues.