Woman steals Long Beach police cruiser
A police cruiser stolen by a mentally ill woman in Long Beach was recovered early today in Boyle Heights by officers with the Los Angeles Police Department, authorities said.
The cruiser was discovered this morning at a gas station at 4th Street and Boyle Avenue after the store owner next door alerted police. Owner Elma Chavez said her son, Dax, was working when the woman walked in and asked for matches.
“He told her ‘We don’t have matches, but we have lighters,’” Chavez said in a phone interview.
The woman did not have money for a lighter but told Chavez's son she would get some from her car. When the son went outside to smoke a cigarette, a man told him the woman had pulled the cruiser into the gas station.
“She was rummaging through the car,” Chavez said.
Two officers arrived about 3:30 a.m. and took the woman into custody without further incident, said Sgt. Al Ramos of LAPD’s Hollenbeck Station.
Ramos said the police weapons inside the patrol car were still secured. The unidentified woman was released to the Long Beach Police Department this morning.
Details about how the car was stolen were not immediately available.
-- Ruben Vives
EDITOR'S PICKS:
DONUT SHOP??? WITH KEYS STILL IN IT...NO WONDER
Posted by: RON | July 30, 2009 at 01:07 PM
LOL - GOOOOOO Police!
Posted by: Sierra Night Tide | July 30, 2009 at 05:55 PM