UPDATED: 11:24 a.m., Friday, May 10
By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Lead Reporter - Salina Post
Yesterday, a Saline County resident from Assaria called the Saline County Sheriff's Office after trading a new Harley Davidson motorcycle for an antique red 1942 Knucklehead Harley Davidson from someone living on a property in Ottawa County.
Saline County Sherriff Roger Soldan said the Assaria resident visited the property at 1592 Aspen Road in Ottawa County to trade the motorcycles within the last few days.
After trading the motorcycles, a friend of the Assaria resident called him yesterday around noon and informed him of the stolen antique motorcycles from Gypsum.
Once the Assaria resident called the Saline County Sheriff's Office, deputies contacted the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office, and both offices obtained search warrants for the property at 1592 Aspen Road.
"The suspect's property located in rural Ottawa County is a farm property, with a house and several outbuildings," said Saline County Lt. Jeremiah Hayes. "The $100,000 Knucklehead [Harley Davidson] was found in a makeshift, lean-to structure."
Deputies discovered more than a few stolen motorcycles from Gypsum on the property and tools and other stolen goods from Saline and Ottawa counties.
Soldan said deputies did not find the 1952 blue Panhead Harley Davidson from Gypsum but found parts to two of the other antique motorcycles.
Although deputies discovered several missing items from thefts in mid to late 2023, they continue to search for the suspect who rented a shop on the Ottawa County property. Soldan said the suspect had been identified while the search continued.
Salina Post will update the story as more information becomes available.
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By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Lead Reporter - Salina Post
A property owner in Gypsum reported five Harley Davidsons stolen from a home and a commercial property in town to the Saline County Sheriff's Office on Saturday, May 4.
Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said the owner is from Arizona but inherited the house and commercial building from a family member.
"The neighbor across the street has been taking care of the yard at the house and notices while over there mowing grass and cleaning up the place that there's a door open," Soldan said. "So they get to looking around and discover that there were three motorcycles stolen out of the garage of the house on Spring Street."
The three motorcycles included three antique Harley Davidsons, including a blue 1952 Harley Davidson Panhead valued at $30,000, a red 1945 Harley Davidson Knucklehead valued at $100,000, and a red 1942 Harley Davidson Knucklehead valued at $50,000.
Soldan said the entire loss at the home on Spring Street totaled to $180,000, with an additional $100 in damages from the unknown suspect's break-in.
According to Soldan, the suspect stole another antique motorcycle and tore apart the other in the commercial building on the 400th block of Maple Street in Gypsum.
The suspect tore through a $30,000 1956 Harley Davidson Panhead, leaving it disassembled in pieces inside the commercial building, and stole a $10,000 1973 Harley Davidson Electra Glide.
Soldan said the property owner last visited the residences in October of last year, and Saline County Deputies took his report on Saturday, May 4.
Deputies continue to investigate the multiple antique motorcycle burglaries, but there are no suspects at this time.
Salina Post will update the story as more information becomes available.