SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on theft charges.
Just before 2a.m. Wednesday, deputies located a stump grinder and a trailer in the driveway of a residence in the 2700 block of NE 35th Street, according to Shawnee County Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer.
These items matched the description of stolen property reported to the Topeka Police Department with an estimated value of around $15,000. Deputies were unable to make contact with anyone at the residence. Topeka Police officers arrived on scene a short time later and seized the stolen property.
Later in the morning at around 5:10 a.m., a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 1998 Chevy Z71 pickup truck near NE Sherman Rd and K4 HWY for an equipment violation. The Chevy pickup matched the description of a vehicle that was believed to be involved in the theft of the stump grinder and trailer.
The driver, later identified as 39-year-old Travis D. Walker of Topeka was detained for questioning by the Topeka Police Department and was later arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for Felony Theft charges.