DOUGLAS COUNTY—An alert police officer stopped what appeared to be an auto burglary in progress this week in Lawrence during a routine parking lot safety check, according to a social media report from Lawrence Police.
This led to a drone team being deployed and the recovery of a stolen vehicle -- a KIA with a hacked steering column
Just after 2a.m., the officer was riding through the Rockland Apartments, 1301 West 24th Street and noticed an interior light and open glove box on a BMW. As he drove closer, he saw a man at the passenger’s side and asked if the car was his.
The person ran and got away after a short pursuit. As additional officers and the drone team were deployed, a sergeant found the KIA, still running, in the same lot.
Ultimately, the team was able to identify a vehicle in the area they believed was there to pick up the suspect. A patrol unit later pulled that car over and found the suspect inside along with other juveniles.
The suspect and an occupant with outstanding warrants were taken to the Juvenile Detention Center. The other two were released to a guardian. The owner of the BMW noticed nothing missing and officers identified and notified the KIA owner the next morning.