Stolen church bus from Kansas found in Texas
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the police chief’s name.
BARBER COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) — A church bus that was stolen early Wednesday has been found in Texas, police say. The bus belongs to the First Christian Church of Medicine Lodge.
Medicine Lodge Police Chief John Defore said someone called 911 just before 5 a.m. and reported seeing the church bus traveling around 70 mph near U.S. Highway 281 and Scott Canyon Road. That’s about 14 miles south of Medicine Lodge.
Officers did not find the bus. They returned to the church to complete the stolen vehicle report so that Barber County dispatchers could place the vehicle in a national database.
“It was last seen driving at a high rate of speed off of Highway 281 eastbound on Scott Canyon Road!” Barber County dispatch posted. “We are truly praying that Jesus takes the wheel on this one! Please call if you have any information on the stolen bus and suspects!”
The Barber County Sheriff’s Office and Barber County Dispatch posted a picture of the bus on their social media accounts early in the morning, asking people to be on the lookout for the vehicle.
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The City of Medicine Lodge also posted about the theft. It says several people reported two suspicious people on Tuesday during the day and evening. The city says the two people were seen near the First Christian Church.
Defore said the bus was located in Wichita Falls, Texas. He said a Wichita Falls city worker discovered it around 6:30 a.m. and thought it looked suspicious, so he called it in. Medicine Lodge police learned of the discovery around 3:15 on Wednesday.
Authorities in Wichita Falls told Medicine Lodge police that there were no suspects around the bus, so the search for the thieves continues. Defore said they are actively looking for two people, but he would not provide any other details about them.
He said that once the police in Wichita Falls process the bus, the church can reclaim it.
If you have information that could help investigators, call the Medicine Lodge Police Department at 620-886-3908 or 620-930-6573 or Barber County authorities at 620-886-5678 or 620-930-2590.
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