A man suspected of stealing two vehicles north of Sal lisaw last Friday was taken into custody less than two hours after the Sequoyah County Sheriff ’s Office issued a public safety alert.

The alert, released just before 3 p.m. on Dec. 5, warned residents that law enforcement agencies were actively searching for a suspect who had reportedly stolen two vehicles within an hour earlier that day. Authorities said the thefts occurred around 11:30 a.m. in the area of Hwy. 101 and County Roads 4640 and 4660, about three miles north of Sallisaw.

According to the sheriff ’s office, the suspect fled both scenes on foot after abandoning the stolen vehicles. Officers from the Sequoyah County Sheriff ’s Office, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Sallisaw Police Department and Cherokee Nation Marshal Service converged on the area, using drones and ground searches to track the man.

By 4:45 p.m., the suspect, identified as Johnny “Chad” Acton, 41, of Spiro, was located and taken into custody without further incident.

Acton was booked into the Sequoyah County Jail at 5:28 p.m. on charges of larceny of a motor vehicle, seconddegree burglary and eluding police officers, according to the sheriff ’s office.

During the search, authorities urged residents to secure homes, vehicles and outdoor equipment, and to avoid approaching anyone matching the suspect’s description: a man with dark hair and a beard, wearing a red hoodie and blue jeans.

Both stolen vehicles were recovered prior to Acton’s arrest.

The sheriff ’s office thanked the public for its vigilance and the multiple agencies involved for their coordinated response.

According to court records, Acton also has outstanding warrants in Seminole county.