Salina Man Arrested Following String of Vehicle Burglaries

SALINA, KS — A 29-year-old Salina man has been arrested in connection with a series of vehicle burglaries that occurred in the early hours of September 30, leading to the recovery of a stolen firearm.

At approximately 6:30 a.m., Salina police were called to the 400 block of Allwood in response to a vehicle burglary. A 32-year-old male reported that his Ring security camera had captured footage of a male suspect entering his unlocked 2015 Chevy Silverado around 3:30 a.m. The suspect reportedly stole a backpack containing paperwork and a Smith & Wesson MP 40 handgun.

Just hours later, officers were called to the 2600 block of Quail Hollow after two additional vehicle burglaries were reported. A 36-year-old woman told officers that her 2014 Honda Odyssey had been rummaged through, although nothing was taken. However, her neighbor’s 2011 Ford F-150 was broken into, and a backpack containing an iPad, Stanley Cup, and accessories was stolen.

Security footage from the Quail Hollow burglaries matched the suspect seen in the earlier Allwood incident. Using the “Find My iPad” feature, police tracked the stolen device to an apartment complex at 737 Fairdale. Following further investigation, officers identified 29-year-old Devon Schmidt as the suspect and obtained a search warrant for the residence.

During the search, officers recovered the stolen firearm. However, the iPad was not found, and authorities believe it was discarded in a dumpster that had already been serviced by a garbage company.

Schmidt was taken into custody and is facing multiple charges, including three counts of vehicle burglary, two counts of theft, and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.