Man charged after Vancouver police cruiser stolen, driven in circles at Templeton Park
Posted October 7, 2024 7:42 pm.
A man has been charged after allegedly stealing a police cruiser and driving it around a field in East Vancouver Sunday morning.
Shortly before 11:00 a.m., the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) says it received reports of a woman in distress near East Hastings and Semlin Drive.
When officers got out of their police vehicle to help her, the suspect got into the cruiser and drove it onto Templeton Park field.
Police say he drove it towards a group of families where children were playing, and started “doing donuts” on the grass.
“As the thief was driving the stolen police car towards Templeton Park, he came in very close contact with a pedestrian. Now it’s unclear whether or not that pedestrian was struck or whether or not the pedestrian was able to jump out of the way. Needless to say, that pedestrian did require some medical attention,” said VPD Sgt. Steve Addison.
Addison explains they apprehended the man with the help of a police dog “approximately three minutes after the car was stolen.”
The 41-year-old suspect was charged Monday with theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, and failure to stop for police.
Addison says the suspect has an “extensive criminal history dating back some 27 years for a variety of offences.”
Police say he was taken to hospital and received treatment for injuries he sustained while being apprehended by the police dog.
—With files from Emma Crawford
