TULSA, Okla. — A 53-year-old man has been arrested after admitting to stealing items from a mobile homeless outreach trailer in Tulsa.
Tulsa Police responded on Valentine’s Day to an abandoned trailer near Newton and Harvard. The trailer, a mobile kitchen used to feed the homeless, was missing supplies including a grill, ice chests, and propane tanks.
Security video showed a red Chevrolet Colorado towing the trailer through the parking lot. Officers tracked the vehicle to its owner and discovered that a friend had borrowed it. Police identified the suspect as John Smith.
When officers went to Smith’s home, he immediately admitted to taking the trailer. Authorities also found a stolen U-Haul trailer in his backyard, methamphetamine in his vehicle, and a firearm, despite Smith being a convicted felon.
Police further noted that Smith is a convicted sex offender who had failed to register. He was booked into the Tulsa County Jail.
Because of his tribal citizenship, Smith’s case falls under McGirt v. Oklahoma jurisdiction, and will be referred to the FBI and tribal authorities for further investigation.
All stolen supplies were returned to the trailer’s owner.
