Stolen Vancouver police car crashes into Burnaby storefront
Woman somehow 'bypassed the vehicle's immobilizer and stole the car,' police say
Vancouver police say they are investigating a strange chain of events early Friday morning that ended with a stolen police cruiser crashing into a Dollar Giant store in Burnaby.
According to a statement, at about 1:30 a.m. PT, a VPD patrol car turned on its lights and sirens after officers inside saw a fight at the corner of Columbia and East Hastings. The aggressor ran off, and officers parked their cruiser to chase him, ultimately arresting him nearby.
When officers returned to their car, they discovered that a woman had somehow "bypassed the vehicle's immobilizer" and stolen the car.
According to reports, the woman sped away eastbound on Hastings Street, crossed into Burnaby, then turned south on Willingdon and crashed into the Dollar Giant at 406 Willingdon Ave.
Vancouver police used GPS to track the stolen cruiser to the scene of the crash. After a short chase on foot, they arrested the female suspect. She is now facing charges of theft over $5,000 and possession of stolen property.
The man arrested after the fight is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for break-and-enter.