Victim of carjacking at Wichita church used app to track SUV to QuikTrip, police say

A woman who was hurt while being carjacked outside a Wichita church Sunday morning helped officers arrest a suspect by tracking her vehicle’s movements through an app.

Wichita police were called to a carjacking report at around 10:40 a.m. Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 611 S. Erie, Officer Charley Davidson said. A 53-year-old woman told police that two suspects assaulted her and stole her red 2019 Ford Escape after she got out of the SUV.

The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries. No weapons were involved in the crime.

The woman called 911 at around 9:45 a.m. Monday to report that she was tracking her stolen vehicle through a Ford app, Davidson said. Police then found the vehicle at the QuikTrip at Broadway and Murdock. Ryan Dittmer was in the SUV and was arrested.

Dittmer, 21, was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail suspicion of aggravated robbery and an outstanding Kansas Department of Corrections warrant. He remained jailed Tuesday morning.

KDOC records show Dittmer has prior convictions of theft and criminal possession of a weapon in Sedgwick County in 2017. He was listed as a parole absconder on Dec. 30, which was the third time prison records listed him absconding last year.

The investigation into the case is ongoing. Police ask anyone with additional information to call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

This story was originally published January 21, 2020 at 11:28 AM.