Two Sioux Falls males were caught attempting to illegally enter an unmarked police car Monday morning around 2 a.m.
While doing surveillance work in the area of east Mission Street and south Bedford Avenue, a plainclothes officer was sitting in an unmarked vehicle when he watched a car drive up to his. The driver of the other vehicle exited his car to open the officer’s driver’s side door in what police believe was an attempt to steal items from the car or the car itself.
The suspect did not realize the officer was in the vehicle and the officer was able to get him to the ground.
Another male was in the other vehicle and tried to run away, but another officer in the area was able to the catch him.
Both suspects were detained and it was found that the driver of the other car had a concealed airsoft gun and that the car they were driving had been stolen from a home sometime after 8:30 p.m. that evening. The owners were contacted and said they had left a spare key in the car.
The driver, Guyo Dido Jateny, 19, of Sioux Falls was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, criminal entry of a motor vehicle and contributing to delinquincy of a minor.
The passenger, a 14-year-old minor also from Sioux Falls, was charged with possession of stolen vehicle, criminal entry of a motor vehicle and a curfew violation.
Police believe the two were involved in car-hoppings throughout the night and were driving around in the stolen car. There were items in the stolen car that didn’t belong to the owners. Police are investigating the stolen items and more charges could come from that.