SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect  in connection with theft of a Chevrolet Malibu and a Kymco moped in Salina.

On Thursday  a 26-year-old Salina man reported that early Wednesday morning, his 1989 GMC pickup was stolen from his residence in the 300 block of North 13th Street, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester. Several items, including a Hitachi roofing gun and a DeWalt cordless drill, were in the back of the pickup. Total loss was estimated at $2,275.

Just before 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a disturbance at a residence in the 300 block of North Phillips. According to Forrester, the Salina man whose pickup was stolen earlier in the day was at his residence Wednesday evening when he heard what he believed was his pickup.

When he looked out on the street, the man saw his pickup driving by. He got into another vehicle and followed the pickup to the residence in the 300 block of North Phillips, according to Forrester.

When the man confronted the white, redheaded woman driver, a man who was a passenger in the pickup jumped out and ran away.

When the man whose pickup was stolen attempted to get the woman identified as Ashlee Worley, 20, of Salina, out of the pickup, she allegedly punched him in the face.

Meanwhile, neighbors called the police because of what they believed to be a disturbance. The man was able to subdue the Worley until police arrived.

Through the investigation that followed, police were able to recover the Malibu that had been stolen on Friday, as well as the GMC pickup. The moped is still missing.

Police booked Worley on suspicion of two counts of felony theft, criminal threat, battery, criminal damage to property, misdemeanor theft and operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license.

Police continue to search for the suspect who fled from the pickup, according to Forrester.