A woman with three outstanding warrants is again behind bars after Lincoln Police were called to the Hy-Vee gas station at 250 N 52nd street around noon on Tuesday, July 27th. The store reported that a woman in a blue pickup was trying to write a bad check for gas. Officers arrived and spoke with the woman who was in a 2009 Chevy Silverado. She gave officers a false name and as they were trying to identify her, she put the keys into the ignition and tried to drive away. She continued to struggle and drive off until officers physically removed her.
Officers were able to identify her as 24 year old Kendra Barnts. Inside her purse, officers found syringes and baggies with drug residue.
Officers then learned that Barnts had been at the same gas station on July 23rd and wrote three checks on two different accounts for gas for two different vehicles and food. The owners of the accounts reported Barnts did not have permission to write on the accounts and the checks must have been stolen as the accounts were closed. Employees recognized Barnts when she tried to pass the check on Tuesday and called police. The forged checks were written for a total of around $500. Officers also found a check book belonging to one of the victims in the truck.
Officers ran the VIN number o the vehicle as it had no plates. The pickup had not been reported stolen at that time but after reaching the owners, they said the truck had been stolen from their farm in Wood River, Nebraska. The truck was search and officers found more drug paraphernalia that included syringes, spoons and baggies with drug residue. Inside one baggie was 0.6 grams of methamphetamine and a spoon with dark brown residue tested positive for opioids. Officers also recovered other possible stolen items.
Barnts was arrested for theft by deception, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, obstructing an officer, resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia and on the three outstanding warrants. One was for felony possession of a controlled substance out of Gage County. Investigators will continue to work to identify the property and more charges are possible.