Portsmouth Police were called to investigate a stolen phone just after 1:30 am. Officers learned the phone was pinging to a location near the East End and headed to investigate.
Police caught up with a suspect in the 1600 block of 7th Street and took him into custody and down to the station for an interview.
Police arrested Alejandro Matla on a theft charge and booked him into the Scioto County Jail.
Matla has three previous arrests for driving without a license.