Ardmore officers cleared a number of felony theft cases with the arrests of three people Wednesday.

Sgt. Ryan Hunnicutt, APD Public Information Officer, said Ardmore Safe Streets Enforcement Team member Juan Galicia captured Lonnie Tucker after noticing a man acting suspiciously in the 800 block of G Street NW.

“Officer Galicia attempted to make contact with a male subject who ran from the area. After a short chase Officer Galicia was able to catch up to and detain Lonnie Tucker,” Hunnicutt said.

Tucker was detained on outstanding arrest warrants issued in Carter and Love counties.

Hunnicutt said Galicia also discovered Tucker was in possession of stolen property and burglary tools.

“The stolen property was from an earlier reported Ardmore area burglary,” Hunnicutt said.

Tucker is booked into the Carter County Detention Center pending the filing of charges, which could include possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools and obstructing and officer, as well as the outstanding warrants.

In a separate case, APD Criminal Investigation Division supervisor Sgt. Bobby Moore cleared a series of thefts from a local hotel Wednesday with the arrests of Chalis Davis and Megan Messenger.

“Several patrons at a popular hotel (located in the 2700 block of West Broadway Street) reported items missing from their rooms. Surveillance video helped Sgt. Moore identify the suspects,” Hunnicutt said, adding a laptop and a tablet computer were recovered.

“Sgt. Moore is still tracking down other stolen items,” Hunnicutt said.

Meanwhile both Ardmore women are booked into the Carter County Detention Center pending charges.

APD Chief Keith Mann said he was pleased with the apprehension of the suspects.

“Generally these types of property crimes are difficult to solve, but with hard work like this we can make good solid arrests.”

Discussing the Galicia’s efforts as a A.S.S.E.T. member Mann said, “This is exactly the type of thing we expect from A.S.S.E.T., Officer Galicia was in a neighborhood patrolling and looking for suspicious persons, the flexibility of the A.S.S.E.T. and the determination of the officers make them a valuable tool.”

Mann launched A.S.S.E.T. in June saying the unit had been created “to target particular crime problems or issues facing the department. “

A.S.S.E.T. consists of one sergeant and three officers with varied law enforcement expertise. The unit has the flexibility to respond to any crime or problem area. It is designed to augment and support patrol officers in the field in completing the APD’s overall mission The unit works directly under Mann.

The chief said officers assigned to A.S.S.E.T. operate under unique circumstances.

“ASSET members will work varied hours in order to combat the targeted issue. The unit will also be assigned to community events which draw large numbers of people,” he said at the time of the launch, adding while the program is new and A.S.S.E.T. is new to Ardmore, such teams are not “uncommon” in police departments across the nation.