07/5/18 Oakland, CA – Assault Call – Woman Distracts Oakland PD Technician – Jumps Into Oakland PD Ford Escape With Dog And Drives To San Francisco – Arrested

www.eastbaytimes.com/

A 31-year-old woman suspected of stealing a civilian police car Thursday afternoon and driving it to San Francisco was arrested in West Oakland where the car was recovered with a dog inside, police said.

Around 12:27 p.m., officers received reports that a white Ford Escape with Oakland police emblems and a lightbar on its roof, usually driven by the department’s police service technicians, had been stolen near 21st and Myrtle streets.

According to police, the woman distracted the technician, who was at an assault call, with a brief conversation, then got into the Ford with the dog and drove through city streets before entering westbound Interstate 580, eventually reaching San Francisco.

The woman drove back to Oakland. Just before 2 p.m., Oakland police animal-control officer Julian Taizan was on a call when he spotted the vehicle driving in the 200 block of Burma Street in West Oakland. After confirming it was the missing car, Taizan notified dispatchers, who sent police officers. Officers stopped the vehicle, arrested the woman and took custody of the dog.

Police have not said if the woman gave a statement about why she took the car.

The dog, initially described as a German shepherd/Labrador retriever mix, was taken to an animal shelter.
The California Highway Patrol and surrounding police agencies were notified of the theft and had officers looking for the vehicle as well.