CRIME
12-Year-Old In Stolen Forklift Leads Police On Hourlong Chase In Michigan
ANN ARBOR POLICE
A 12-year-old boy in Michigan stole a forklift and led police on an hourlong chase over the weekend, the Ann Arbor Police Department said Monday.
Police responded to a report of a juvenile attempting to steal a construction vehicle from Forsythe Middle School at around 6:45 p.m. Saturday, and spotted the stolen vehicle traveling southbound on Brooks Street without its lights on.
Dashboard camera video shared by the police department shows officers following the Construction Genie GTH-636 Telehandler, which was equipped with a forklift, for 30 minutes, at speeds of 15–20 mph.
He’s lowering the hooks, don’t go in front of it, an officer can be heard saying over the radio as the vehicle swerves along residential streets, running stop signs.
The fleeing juvenile struck approximately ten parked vehicles in the Georgetown Boulevard neighborhood, police said.
Ann Arbor police broke off their pursuit when the driver crossed the M-14 bridge, and the pursuit was picked up by the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office. Deputies followed the forklift until the driver stopped at 7:53 p.m. in the area of M-14 and Gotfredson Road.
The driver was identified as a 12-year-old boy from Ann Arbor, and was transported to the juvenile detention center, police said. No one was injured during the pursuit.
According to police, the boy gained access to the vehicle at Forsyth Middle School, where it was unlocked with the key hidden inside the cab. Police said the vehicle can weight up to 35,000 pounds.
This was a very dangerous situation that couldve easily ended with serious injuries, police said.
TMX contributed to this article.
