Man Steals Milpitas Police Car, Abandons It, Steals Another

A man briefly stole a police patrol car in Milpitas that he abandoned in San Jose before he took another vehicle early this morning, police said.

An officer had walked toward a suspicious van in the 1500 block of South Main Street near Montague Expressway around 6:15 a.m. in search for anyone inside, Milpitas police Lt. Henry Kwong said.

Around the same time, a man entered the officer’s marked police car and drove away south toward San Jose, Kwong said. Officers were able to find the police car empty near Old Oakland Road in San Jose through a GPS-based tracking device installed inside, according to Kwong.

Investigators learned the suspect abandoned the police car and forced a woman who was driving by out of a silver 1997 Toyota RAV4, Kwong said.

The Toyota has a California license plate of 3XEU427 and a vehicle identification number of JT3GP10V7V0018664 was last seen on southbound Old Oakland Road, police said.

The vehicle has a gray rear bumper, a rear plate with the words “Santa Cruz” and a missing front plate, according to police. Police were able to account for all the weapons found inside the patrol car, according to police.

The suspect is described as a heavy-set Hispanic man in his early 30s, standing roughly 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing about 230 pounds, police said. He wore a blue or black Carhartt-brand jacket and prescription glasses, according to police.

If the stolen vehicle is found the public is asked to call police Detective Sanchez at (408) 586-2501.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call police at (408) 586-2400. Those who wish to remain anonymous may call the police crime tip hotline at (408) 586-2500 or visit http://www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/government/police/crime_tip.asp.

--Bay City News