Juvenile Arrested After Attempting to Steal Eight Vehicles in a Day

A 17-year-old male from the Kansas City area was arrested on August 17, 2024, after attempting to steal eight vehicles in Salina throughout the day. The spree began at approximately 3:02 p.m. when police were dispatched to Indiana and Iron Streets for an abandoned 2015 Kia Optima with a broken rear window and a damaged steering column. The vehicle had been stolen from the CVS parking lot after 2:00 p.m., and the owner, a 26-year-old Salina man, noticed it missing around 3:00 p.m. Surveillance footage from CVS captured the suspect in action.

At 7:17 p.m., another report came in from the 900 block of East Ash Street regarding an attempted theft of a 2013 Hyundai. The vehicle, which had been tampered with similarly to the first, was found abandoned nearby on North Kansas Avenue. The victim, a 43-year-old Salina woman, stated the incident occurred between 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Later, at 9:09 p.m., officers responded to a call from a 17-year-old male claiming to be stranded after his friends left him while returning to Kansas City from Colorado. The teenager matched the description of the suspect seen in the surveillance video. He was found with a flathead screwdriver and a backpack matching those in the footage. The evidence led to his arrest, and he later admitted to the vehicle theft attempts.

Additional reports revealed further damage to vehicles in the area, including a 2015 Hyundai Elantra at Paramount Bar, a 2012 Kia Forte in the 200 block of North Columbia, a Hyundai Sonata at Homewood Suites on East Mulberry, and three more vehicles—a 2019 Kia Soul, a 2013 Kia Soul, and a 2014 Hyundai Sonata—at the hospital's parking garage.

The juvenile now faces charges, including felony theft, seven counts of attempted theft, and eight counts of property damage.