By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post
Two local people were arrested after a west Salina tavern was burgled Tuesday afternoon.
Officers were sent to Hank's Tavern, 116 S. Broadway, Tuesday evening for the report of a theft earlier in the day, Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester said this morning.
An employee told police that he had been in the tavern that afternoon, but forgot to lock the front door when he left, Forrester said. Surveillance video shows a white woman and a Hispanic man entering the tavern at approximately 2:30 p.m. Thursday. After a few minutes, they appear to realize that no one is in the tavern but them.
The woman is then seen removing items from behind the bar, including a bottle of beer, a cell phone, and a bank bag with cash. Total loss was estimated at slightly more than $500.
The duo was in the tavern for approximately 30 minutes, before they were seen leaving in a gold GMC Yukon with distinguishing features, Forrester said.
At approximately 10:40 p.m. Tuesday, an officer spotted the Yukon in the 1800 block of N. Ninth Street. The officer made contact with the driver, who matched the description of the man in the video from the tavern, Forrester said.
The man, identified as Joseph Vela, 36, of Salina, identified the female in the video as Juli Capps, 46, of Salina. Forrester said she walked up to where the officer had stopped Vela. She was wearing the same shoes as in the video, he added. Capps also allegedly was in possession of a marijuana pipe.
Both Capps and Vela were taken into custody.
Capps was arrested on the following requested charges, Forrester said.
●Burglary
●Theft
●Possession of marijuana
●Possession of drug paraphernalia
Vela was arrested on a requested charge of burglary, he added.