A stolen moped was found in the backyard of a Salina residence and returned to its owner following a pursuit.

Police Capt. Paul Forrester tells KSAL News that a 27-year-old Salina man originally reported the red Jiangsu Baodiao moped missing Tuesday morning. The man said it was taken from his residence in the 500 block of Montrose Street between 1 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.

Later on in the day, an officer patrolling in the 800 block of Charles Street saw a black moped that had the looks of being recently spray painted. It matched the tags of the stolen moped.

The officer then pursued the moped at the intersection of Crawford and Ninth, but the driver of the moped started driving into oncoming traffic at Roach Street. The officer then called off the pursuit.

Police were then dispatched to a backyard of a house on S. Fifth Street, where the moped was recovered.

Forrester said police have a lead on a possible suspect.