Suspect Pulls Fire Alarm at N.C. Police Station After Van Theft

A suspected crash led to a series of events in which a man allegedly stole a van, drove to a Burlington police station and triggered a fire alarm before being arrested nearby.
Source Officer.com News
June 12, 2026
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What to know

  • A man fled a possible crash in Burlington then allegedly stole a nearby van and drove to a police station.
  • He entered the station lobby and pulled a fire alarm before leaving the scene.
  • Police later found him at a nearby business and arrested him on multiple charges, including vehicle theft and giving a false fire alarm.
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Burlington Police Department

Burlington police say a man allegedly fled a possible crash scene, stole a vehicle and then pulled a fire alarm inside a police station lobby before officers tracked him down at a nearby business.

A man is accused of stealing a vehicle following a possible crash before pulling the fire alarm at a North Carolina police station Wednesday.

The incident began just after 5 p.m. when Burlington police responded to a possible crash, WXII-TV reports. A man involved in the crash—later identfied as Jorge De Jesus Yepez Espinola—allegedly fled the scene and stole a nearby van.

Espinola then drove to a back parking lot for the Burlington police headquarters. Once there, he pulled the fire alarm in the station's front lobby.

Police eventually located Epsinola at a nearby business, and he was taken into custody. He was charged with multiple counts, including felony larceny of a motor vehicle and giving false fire alarms. 

About the Author

Joe Vince
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Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
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