COWLEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating recent rash of vehicle burglaries and thefts in southern Kansas and have arrested a suspect.
The theft investigation began when an Arkansas City resident reported their vehicle as stolen May 6, according to a media release from police. 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 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 later identified as Jonathan Eugene Jester, 34, of Wichita, then entered a vacant residence.
Also on May 6, police located a vehicle stolen from Sumner County behind a hotel in Arkansas City.
The same suspect responsible for that particular vehicle theft also are thought to be responsible for rash of break-ins that occurred May 5, in Sumner County.
On May 7, police located Jester and had to chase him down. During that pursuit, Jester allegedly threw away a firearm and backpack, which were recovered later.
Jester was brought back to the Arkansas City Police Department and questioned about the recent crimes. He remains jailed on requested charges that include four felony counts of burglary of a motor vehicle, as well as one felony count each of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, interference with a law enforcement officer, possession of stolen property, and theft of a motor vehicle. He also was arrested on suspicion of four misdemeanor counts of theft and one misdemeanor count of criminal trespass. Police are still seeking addition suspects in the case.