Suspect in Patrol Car Theft on the Run with Police Rifle and Radio
KVAL 13 News - Oregon
7/01/03
By Jennifer Winters


Police are on a hunt for a man who stole a Linn County 
Sheriff's car and crashed it at the Brownsville dam, 
Tuesday night.

Authorities caught one suspect, but the other, armed with 
a semi-automatic rifle and a police radio, was still on 
the run late Tuesday night.

Police say a man stole the Linn County deputy's locked, 
and running car by smashing the window. Sgt. Art Sprague 
of Linn County Sheriff's Deputy says, "We got a call 
from a citizen who saw the patrol car and didn't think 
a deputy was driving it, so the deputy who was unaware 
the vehicle had been stolen, then tried to locate it with
others."

Linn County Deputies found the stolen sheriff's car crashed 
into an embankment at the Brownsville dam.

Police tracked down one man in a nearby creek, and took him 
into custody. later police realized a second suspect was 
still on the run.

They believe that man is armed with a sheriff's rifle and 
police radio, and are worried about what he could do. Deputy 
Sprague says, "I don't know how desperate he is." Deputies
went door-to-door to warn people in the area to be extra careful.

A half dozen agencies joined in the man hunt. Police ask anyone 
near the Brownsville damn to report any suspicious activity.

Linn County authorities say it is not uncommon for deputies to 
leave their cars locked and running.


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