LAPD Search for Woman who Stole Cruiser while Still Handcuffed
A woman handcuffed and taken into custody in connection with a vandalism incident in Hollywood was able to get behind the wheel of an LAPD cruiser and escape officers before abandoning the vehicle.
By Summer Lin
Source Los Angeles Times
June 25, 2025
Mel Melcon | Los Angeles Times | TNS
What to know
A woman remains at large after she allegedly stole an LAPD cruiser while she was handcuffed and in custody stemming from a vandalism incident in Hollywood.
The suspect drove the patrol vehicle into the hills before abandoning it and fleeing on foot.
Officers canvassed the area but were unable to locate the suspect.
A handcuffed woman being driven to jail in the back of a cruiser fired a barrage of shots, grazing a Marion County sheriff's deputy near his right eye and sending the vehicle into a utility pole.
Police are looking for a woman who they say stole an LAPD patrol car and escaped after officers handcuffed her and initially took her into custody.
On Monday, the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a report of vandalism near Franklin and Orchid avenues in Hollywood at around 11:50 p.m., according to Officer Jeff Lee. There, they arrested a woman in a gray hoodie and blue jeans.
The woman was handcuffed and put inside a patrol car, but she somehow was able to get behind the wheel and drive a short distance up into the hills before ditching the car at Camrose and Paramount drives and fleeing on foot, Lee said.
Officers canvassed the area but did not find the suspect.
Fox 11 reported that the woman was vandalizing a Porsche SUV and damaged the windshield when she was arrested. However, the LAPD couldn't confirm those details to The Times.
