Police say a North Platte man stole numerous items from a home where he was staying, then asked the victim to pay for its return.

According to Investigator John Deal, at around 3:12 p.m. on May 29, North Platte police responded to a residence in the 3200 block of West Ninth Street on the report of a theft.

Officers met with a male subject who reported that an acquaintance of his, 29-year-old Carl McKinney, had been staying at his house for “a couple of days.”

He stated that when he returned home from work on May 27, he noticed that McKinney was gone, and so was some of his property.  He reported that a phone, stereo equipment, power tools and a pair of tennis shoes were all missing.

The value of the items was estimated to be around $1,500, Deal said.

During the investigation, another subject contacted police and reported that McKinney had sent him a text message saying that he had the alleged victim’s property, and would return it if the victim paid him $300.

Investigators contacted several other witnesses who reported that they had seen McKinney with some of the stolen property.

Then, an anonymous call was placed to the victim saying that some, but not all, of his property, was on the side of the road near 16th Street and Hayes Avenue.  S property was recovered at that location.

On June 1, officers made contact with McKinney at a residence in the 2000 block of West 16th Street and placed him under arrest.  Deal said he was wearing the tennis shoes that were reported stolen at the time of his arrest.

McKinney was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center and jailed.  He’s been charged with felony theft.  As of Thursday afternoon, he was being held without bond.

Some of the property is still missing.