Teens praised for help with skateboard theft mystery

By Dave Jordan, NEWS 9

A metro police department is praising some teens for helping them catch a burglary suspect.

The arrest was made just days after the police report was filed, after the teens tipped off a business owner.

It wasn't jewelry, computers or an IPOD, but to some people skateboards are just as valuable. Scott Saunders knows that first-hand; last month nearly 100 of them were stolen from his store.

"We're a small business, so it hurts a lot when something like that happens that's a big hit to us," Saunders said.

He filed a police report with Oklahoma City Police and moved on, but within days, tips started to pour in from some of his customers.

"Kids were coming in and they were like, well we think this guy did it," Saunders said. "And then they're like, we'll we know this guy did it. And then they're like, we'll we saw this guy and he was trying to sell us boards."

Midwest City Police said that was 20-year-old Michael Carey, an airman at Tinker. He was reportedly trying to sell those skateboards at Lyons Skate Park in Midwest City. That's where Saunders tracked him down.

"As soon as I saw he had some of my merchandise I called the cops and then he was leaving and he backed into my truck and I wasn't about to move my truck," Saunders said.

A chase ensued and ended at a shopping center where Carey was arrested.

Midwest City Police Chief Brandon Clabes said it was all a result of some teens turned informants.

"It says a lot about those people's character," Clabes said. "We always encourage citizens to be involved and in this particular case that's what occurred."