Three arrested in Jefferson County after wide search for stolen truck

Three people suspected of using a stolen truck to try to steal scrap metal in Jefferson County were arrested Thursday in the 1200 block of Rice Road, about 10 miles north of Lawrence.

The arrests came after a wide search involving several law enforcement agencies, and the Lawrence Police Department was among those on the lookout.

Shawn C. Akins, 25, Ottawa, Jacquelyn N. Akins, 28, Lawrence, and Rachelle L. Hufford, 24, of Ottawa, were booked into Jefferson County Jail on felony counts of theft, possession of stolen property, criminal damage and fleeing to elude law enforcement, according to a press release from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff’s deputies encountered the truck, a black 2007 Chevy Silverado registered and reported stolen in Nebraska, while responding to a reported theft in the 2200 block of Trego Road, about 12 miles north of Lawrence near Wellman Road. The truck fled through a wooded area at high speed, and was located later that evening near 13th Street and Rice Road. The Kansas Highway patrol, the Perry Police Department, and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism helped in the search.

The three suspects, who were arrested near the truck, remained in custody on Friday. Bond has not yet been posted.