It was a charge of drunk in public, but a man faces much more in Elkton Monday after allegedly stealing a police car and leading authorities on a chase.

The suspect was in handcuffs the entire time.

Police say Scott McCaul was originally arrested, after a disturbance on South Branch Road. That's where he was handcuffed, put in the cruiser and strapped in.

A police K-9 unit was in the backseat.

Elkton Police Chief Kevin Whitfield says McCaul moved his hands from behind his back to the front and unbuckled himself, something the officer didn't see, until getting back in the car.

The officer went around the car to buckle the man back in, but it was too late. The doors were locked and police say McCaul drove off.

Police say McCaul crashed the car, got into another and wrecked that one before he was caught again.

Whitfield says all procedures and policies were followed.

"I've been a police officer a long time and I've seen it multiple times," says Whitfield.

Despite wearing handcuffs, McCaul tried to get away again, but this time, he was in front of the jail.

He has been charged with two counts of grand larceny, larceny of animals or poultry, preventing law enforcement to make a lawful arrest, falsely identifying himself to law enforcement, public swearing or intoxication, reckless driving, failure to observe marked lines, driving without an operators license, and no operators license.