Police tried to talk to man about car theft — but he stole their car, WA cops say

After police tried to talk to a suspected car thief about a previous theft, he stole their patrol car and drove to Seattle, Renton police said.

On Thursday afternoon, Renton police saw the suspect at a car dealership and exited their cars to go speak to him, leaving their cars running but locked, which is standard procedure, according to a news release.

The man refused to talk to the officers and walked away, according to police. The officers got a 911 call that the man reached through the window of one of the patrol cars, unlocked the door, and took off.

Police said Seattle officers found the car half an hour later using a GPS tracker to confirm the car’s location. The man, who hasn’t been identified but is described as being in his 30s, was arrested blocks away on a charge of felony theft.

There were no injuries or damage and nothing was stolen from the patrol car, according to police.

To contact police, email Detective Templeton at jtempleton@rentonwa.gov.

This story was originally published August 17, 2020 at 3:36 PM with the headline "Police tried to talk to man about car theft — but he stole their car, WA cops say."