photo by: Lawrence Police video screenshot

Lawrence police pull a buglary suspect from the bushes Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.

A 19-year-old man suspected of stealing several thousand dollars worth of items in auto burglaries overnight was arrested Thursday morning.

Police were called to the 4400 block of Roundabout Circle in northwest Lawrence around 4:30 a.m. Thursday about a man with a flashlight breaking into vehicles. The first officer on scene spotted the man, but he fled on foot before the officer got close to him, LPD said in a social media post. Responding officers were able to set a perimeter, and a drone pilot was able to direct them to the suspect, who was hiding next to a small boat. The drone pilot was able to track the suspect as he fled again and attempted to hide in some bushes in front of a house, where he was taken into custody without further incident, police said. See the video here.

The Douglas County Jail log indicates that Cartiere Isaiah Ford, whose address is listed as “homeless,” was arrested early Thursday morning on suspicion of burglary, attempted burglary, interference with law enforcement and failure to appear.

Court records indicate that Ford was granted a diversion for burglary in July 2023, but a motion is pending to revoke that diversion after the state alleged that Ford failed to comply with its terms, including failure to pay $800 in fines and fees.