DES MOINES – An Iowa man is behind bars this morning after he took advantage of police trying to keep streets safe and snuck into a patrol car and drove off.
Acknowledging that crime can happen to anyone, even police officers, the Des Moines police department lamented, “When we caution you that your car can be stolen in the blink of an eye, we mean it. Yesterday, it happened to us and it happened fast.
“As officers spoke with business owners in the 1300 blk of University Avenue about their concerns of illegal drug activity, one officer left the keys in a patrol car. At approximately 3:55 pm, the patrol car was taken.”
The Des Moines Police Communications Center was able to track the vehicle’s GPS and coordinate responding officers. At one point a deputy with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office saw the car and a short pursuit began. At approximately 4:02 p.m., the patrol car was located abandoned in the 300 block of Shawnee.
At approximately 4:11 p.m., DMPD officers located the suspect in an alley in the 4000 blk 5th Ave. Evidence observed resulted in 21-year-old Newton, Iowa, resident Chance Cameron Frisch Johnson being charged with the following offenses:
• Operating A Motor Vehicle Without Owners Consent
• OWI – 1st Offense
• Felony Eluding
“The circumstances that allowed this incident to occur are being internally reviewed and, upon completion of the review, the appropriate corrective action will be taken,” police said.
