Quick thinking by an Arkansas City bar owner Thursday probably thwarted the future burglary of the business, police said.
Tona Schmidt, who runs the Red Zone Bar and Grill, 1419 N. Eighth, called police just after midnight to say that a male suspect ran out of her business and removed her keys from the back door. Schmidt had left the keys in the door as she was closing up for the evening.
She was able to provide police with a description and the first name of the suspect.
Officers were able to locate the suspect’s residence and gained consent to enter. When they entered they found underage teens who were intoxicated. The resident of the home, Leon Jackson, was subsequently charged with theft, and furnishing/hosting a minor alcohol party.
Police believe Jackson and the others were planning to return to the bar with the keys at a later time to burglarize the establishment. Erin Swartz, 19, Destry Swartz, 18, and a juvenile were all cited for minor consumption of alcohol, according to a police statement.