Cops Chasing Stolen Forklift Find Surprise Driver

Boy, 12, arrested after pursuit by Michigan police through Ann Arbor and beyond
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 28, 2023 12:19 PM CST

A Michigan tween has been arrested after cops say they chased him on a stolen forklift through the streets of Ann Arbor. Local officers say they were called to Forsythe Middle School around 6:45pm local time on Saturday over a report of a stolen construction vehicle, and just minutes after arriving at the scene, they spotted a forklift being driven down a nearby street, reports MLive. Cops say they threw on their emergency lights and sirens and started in pursuit of the forklift, a model that can weigh up to 35,000 pounds. The vehicle can be seen trying to outrun one patrol car in a police dashcam video.

Police say they chased after the forklift at speeds of about 15mph to 20mph, during which time the forklift hit about 10 other vehicles that were parked alongside the road. Deputies from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office took over the pursuit around 7:20pm, when the forklift left Ann Arbor's city limits, per NBC News. The driver of the forklift, who police say was a 12-year-old boy, finally brought it to a halt about 40 minutes later. No one was hurt, and the child was arrested and taken into custody; he was placed in a juvenile detention center. "This was a very dangerous situation that could've easily ended with serious injuries," police said in a statement. "The incident remains an active and ongoing criminal investigation." (More strange stuff stories.)

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