3/24/23 Cape Girardeau, MO – Shots Fired Call – Man Steals Marked Police Car – Search Found Police Car A Mile Away – Suspect Captured

A Cape Girardeau Police car was temporarily stolen during an incident investigation Thursday, March 23.

According to a CGPD Facebook post, around 11 p.m. officers responded to the 1100 block of South Ellis Street for a report of shots fired in the area.

“Due to the seriousness of the incident and the very real potential for violence/loss of life” one of the officers exited his vehicle quickly after arriving on the scene, the post stated.

The officer said he attempted to lock the vehicle but was unsure whether the mechanism was actually triggered, according to the post.

When he later returned to where his car was parked, it was missing. Officers then began searching the area.

The patrol vehicle was found around a mile from the scene.

According to the post, no damage was done to the vehicle and no equipment was taken.

One of the department’s K-9 units was in the vehicle. The dog was not harmed in the incident.

A release from Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Welker says Gregory Ross, 59, was charged with first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle and stealing in connection with the incident.

Ross was taken into custody just after midnight Friday morning, March 24.