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Teens Arrested Trying To Steal Undercover Cop Car, Police Say

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 9, 2008

Three teenagers shined a flashlight into a blue Dodge Stratus on Monday night and prepared to steal the vehicle.

Unfortunately for them, two Tampa police officers had been hiding inside the unmarked car. The officers jumped out as the juveniles were about to smash out the vehicle's right rear passenger window, police say.

The incident initially began about 11 p.m. when Tampa police's street anti-crime squad saw the juveniles looking into parked cars near Columbus Drive and Oakdale Avenue. Officers Colin McCoy and Gary Saunders were in the Dodge Stratus and followed the juveniles to the area near Columbus and Rome Avenue.

The officers parked in a parking lot of Columbus Court Apartments and continued to watch the teeenagers.

The suspects had flat tip screw drivers, a piece of concrete rock and a flashlight as they came to the Dodge, police said. After trying to smash out a window, the officers jumped out. The juveniles ran, and two were caught after a chase.

"The suspects admitted that they were unaware that the officers were inside of the car or that the Dodge Stratus was a police vehicle," a Tampa police news release states. "The third suspect was not apprehended, but detectives are working on leads. There was no damage to the unmarked police vehicle."

The suspects arrested are 17- and 15-year-old Tampa residents. The teens were charged with auto burglary, possession of burglary tools and resisting arrest without violence.

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