Ogden, UT - Unmarked Department Of Corrections Police Cruiser Stolen - Torched - Completely Destroyed By Fire

Unmarked law enforcement car stolen, torched
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated:06/23/2009 07:11:25 PM MDT



A vehicle found flaming and gutted in Ogden early Tuesday morning turned out to be no ordinary car.

A call came in at 2 a.m., reporting a vehicle on fire in the 3300 block of Ogden's Lincoln Avenue. Fire crews quickly doused the blaze, which police said started on the inside of the car -- and officers quickly realized they were dealing with a police cruiser.

"They could tell from the way the vehicle was packaged with consoles that it was a police vehicle," said Ogden police Lt. Scott Sangberg.

They later found the unmarked car belonged to the Department of Corrections and was being used by Adult Probation and Parole officers.

Agents working in the Ogden area had turned the car over to a body shop near 35th Street and Wall Avenue on Monday to get some damage repaired, said Department of Corrections spokeswoman Angie Welling.

Ogden investigators went to that shop and found the Corrections car was missing and the gate was "blown down, like someone ran over it," Sangberg said.

Welling said the agents had followed policy and made sure there was "no personal or sensitive information" in the car. There also were no firearms in the vehicle and the only thing remaining likely would have been bullet-resistant vests in the trunk, Welling said.

"The car is a complete loss," she said.

Sangberg said it appears police are dealing with an auto theft and an arson. He said it likely was obvious to whoever took the cruiser that they had a police vehicle.

"I think they knew what they were going after," Sangberg said, adding that he was unaware of any enhancements to criminal charges for stealing or burning a law enforcement vehicle as opposed to a common car.

He said Ogden investigators are following some leads but do not yet have anyone in custody for the crime
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