A man reported that someone had stolen a portable street salt spreader off the back of his truck around 5 p.m. Jan. 30.

Oak Lawn police said a neighbor watched a man identified as Marcin Szczpaniak, 25, take the Saltdog brand salt spreader valued at $300 and then run to a Toyota that was parked on the 6400 block of West 87th Street. The neighbor was not able to see Szczpaniak’s face, but was able to provide a license plate number that was registered as a 2002 Toyota to a Burbank address.

When police arrived at the Burbank home, officers noticed a Toyota parked in front of the residence. Police made contact with the registered owners’ daughter, who said it was her car and that she had lent it to a friend earlier in the day so he could look for a job.

The woman took officers to her friend, Szczpaniak’s, house on the 7700 block of South Narraganset Avenue. Reports said that police found Szczpaniak in the basement, who first denied stealing the spreader or using the borrowed car that day.

After being confronted that there was a witness and further lying would lead to addition charges, Szczpaniak admitted to taking the spreader and offered to take police to the back yard of another Burbank address on the 7800 block of South Mulligan where he had apparently stored it, reports said.

Police searched the yard but couldn’t find the spreader. Szczpaniak told them the residence belonged to his friend’s mother. The mother was told to have her son contact police.

Szczpaniak was brought to the police station where he was charged with theft. He was able to contact his friend who brought the salt spreader to the station, where it was returned to its owner.

Szczpaniak’s next court appearance is Feb. 16.