March 6, 2023

 

To: Public

 

RE: PRESS RELEASE

 

On Saturday evening, March 4th, 2023, the Coffey County Sheriff's office was made aware by another agency that a stolen vehicle from another jurisdiction in Kansas was located in New Strawn, Kansas and that a satellite location service had verified its location. Our deputies arrived soon thereafter to find the vehicle abandoned.

          Upon arrival, an immediate search effort was made in the neighborhood, which expanded to other parts of the New Strawn community as reports began coming in to the sheriff's office from residents reporting various sightings and attempts by the suspect- apparently -to find a vehicle with keys left in it. The same suspect is believed to have then stolen a bicycle, which was immediately reported to dispatch, and a deputy observed the bicycle being ridden on a street near New Strawn. An intensive manhunt began in the last known area, where the bike was left on the side of the road. While multiple deputies patrolled the area, the suspect managed to find a vehicle, with the keys in it, which was quickly reported stolen. This vehicle was then sighted by a deputy on patrol near Beto Junction (U.S. Highway 75 and I-35 intersection), observing it to be traveling without headlights after dark. The vehicle, at some point, entered the interstate, northbound in the southbound lanes, and crashed head-on into a vehicle traveling the opposite direction. No injuries were reported, but the suspect then fled on foot. A 3-hour manhunt, with assistance from the Osage County Sheriff's office and their drone unit, the Kansas Highway patrol and their helicopter, the Burlington Police Department, and our drone and K9 units was not successful. However, video surveillance in the area gave us insight to the identity of the individual and law enforcement is busy gathering additional evidence to corroborate that identification. It is strongly believed the event is the work of a single individual, that crimes committed here were out of desperation to evade arrest and not a part of an original plan to commit those crimes in Coffey County.

The Coffey County Sheriff's office encourages anyone in the area with information or video from that evening, that appears relevant to this incident, to call the Coffey County Sheriff's Office at (620)364-2123. Also, Coffey County Sheriff Tom Johnson wants to remind our citizens to be mindful of self-security and not leave keys in a vehicle unattended, nor valuables in an unlocked and unattended vehicle.