KENT, Wash. — The Kent Police Department says a dead-end road, a dog, and a drone helped them track down three teens who stole a car in Tukwila.
According to the department, an officer on routine patrol spotted the group, wearing masks and trying to put a bicycle into the trunk of a Kia. Police say the three were startled when they noticed the patrol car, dropping the bike and driving off with the trunk still open.
“Their behavior seemed just a tad bit suspicious,” noted the release from police. The officer ran the license plate, confirming the Kia was stolen.
The department says its officer followed the car until the driver, who happened to be 14, hit a dead-end. The officer then pinned the Kia to the curb, and the three teens scattered.
Kent police says the driver quickly jumped out of the bushes as soon as he saw their K9.
Neighbors called 911 after spotting the two passengers, both 16-year-old boys, running through their yards. Officers say they tracked down the “winded” teens on a nearby trail using a drone and arrested them without incident as well.
According to Kent PD, an officer recognized one of the 16-year-olds from an arrest earlier in the week, also involving a stolen car.
The 14-year-old driver was booked into the King County Youth Center for eluding and possessing a stolen car, while charges on the two passengers are pending and will be based on the results of fingerprints pulled from the stolen Kia.
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