Stolen Police cruiser thief still loose

He took vehicle and crashed it after chase. 
Detroit man faces up to five years in prison.

By Steve Pardo / The Detroit News
12/29/97

Eastpointe police still are looking for a 23-year-old Detroit man
who drove off with a police cruiser after escaping out of the
back seat, police said.

An Eastpointe officer stopped Alex Lee Robinson and a female
companion about 3 a.m. Thursday near the Eastland Motel on Gratiot
north of Eight Mile. The officer was suspicious when he saw the 
car driving slowly around the motel, Sgt. John Calabrese said.

When police stopped the two, Robinson gave the officer a false
name -- that of a friend -- but the friend had an outstanding 
arrest warrant.

So the officer, whom police refused to name, placed Robinson 
in the back seat of a locked cruiser while he went to talk to the
woman. "While he was speaking to the female, somehow Mr. Robinson
escaped the back seat, got back into the car and drove away,"
Calabrese said.

Robinson still was being questioned, and was not yet handcuffed, 
"The window may have been open a crack or he may have been
able to force the window down on the vehicle," Calabrese said. "He's
a pretty skinny guy."

Robinson drove south on Gratiot across Eight Mile. Detroit police
caught up to the squad car about a half mile away, at State Fair and
Gratiot. But Robinson lost them after a short chase, police said.

The car was found crashed into a tree on Alcoy, near Seven Mile,
about a mile from where police lost sight of it.

Robinson had outstanding warrants for violating probation,
possessing marijuana and destruction of private property.

He faces more warrants after the police chase. Police received
warrants Friday on counts of unlawfully driving away a vehicle,
escape from custody, malicious destruction of police property,
driving on a suspended license and resisting and obstructing a 
police officer. He could face up to five years in prison if
convicted.


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