Auburn police said Matthew Roy Heath, 30, stole an Auburn Police Department squad car and led cops on a short chase after being handcuffed and taken into custody during a meth lab investigation Friday afternoon.

Around 3:00 p.m. Friday, police found a meth lab in the 700 block of 20th Street in Auburn and took Heath, who also had outstanding warrants in Noble County, into custody.

Police handcuffed him behind his back and put him in the front seat of an officer's squad car. For an unknown reason, the officer in the car with Heath, got out.

Police said Heath dislocated his thumb to free himself from the handcuffs and took off in the squad car.

Auburn police chased him driving their car for about 10 minutes until the Heath drove into a field on County Road 17 behind the National Military History Center at 5634 County Road 11A. 

Heath then got out of the car and ran from police. 

Police arrested him and took him to DeKalb County Jail, where he was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine and resisting arrest with a vehicle.

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