A 14-year-old Des Moines girl was arrested Sunday after stealing a police patrol car, arrest reports said.
The minor was arrested after a Polk County Sheriff deputy found her in the 4800 block of Northeast 29th Street in a police patrol car that had been stolen earlier that night.
Police had been dispatched to minor’s home in the 1200 block of Stewart Street regarding a dispute at the residence. The suspect was not involved in the dispute, reports said.
The officer responding to the call left his keys in his patrol car and left the vehicle running outside the home. After leaving the home the officer realized the car had been stolen and informed dispatchers.
Officers used GPS within the vehicle to track it, said Des Moines Police spokesman Sgt Jason Halifax.
“Now all our cars have GPS, so it’s pretty easy to track,” Halifax said.
Minutes later a Polk County Sheriff’s Deputy found the minor at the 4800 block of Northeast 29th Street after she had got the car stuck on the side of the road.
The girl was charged with first degree theft and was taken to Meyer Hall.
Halifax said the minor had been arrested three since July, once for trespassing and twice for disorderly conduct.