Coffey County deputies say they are still looking for a person of interest after a stolen vehicle from an unnamed jurisdiction elsewhere in Kansas was found in New Strawn earlier this month.
Sheriff Tom Johnson says the incident developed the evening of March 4. Deputies were contacted by a currently unspecified agency about the vehicle, which was later found abandoned. The early investigation expanded across parts of New Strawn as residents reported a suspect apparently trying to find a vehicle with keys inside. Instead, the suspect allegedly stole a bicycle and later left that on the side of a road before stealing another vehicle. The suspect allegedly was traveling without headlights after dark when it spotted by a patrol deputy near BETO Junction. The driver then went northbound against traffic, crashed head-on into a southbound vehicle and fled on foot.
Nobody was hurt in the crash.
Authorities, including Coffey and Osage county deputies, the Kansas Highway Patrol and Burlington Police, searched the area for three hours before ending that part of their investigation. However, Johnson says deputies were able to use video surveillance to help the investigation and are working to confirm the suspect’s identity, so no name is being released at this time.
Residents with information cal call the Coffey County Sheriff’s Office at 620-364-2123. Johnson is using this incident to remind residents to never leave keys and valuables in unlocked and unattended vehicles.
