Stolen Truck With Flat Tire, Little Gas Hampers Theft Suspect: Police

LAKELAND, FL — Polk County officers quickly arrested a man accused of stealing a pickup truck after he abandoned it because it had a flat tire and no gas.

The sheriff's officers said on Saturday a 911 call reported a Ford F-150 was stolen but unlikely to go far.

Deputies responding to the area of Tiger Lake in Lake Wales spotted the stolen truck on the side of State Road 60 near Sumica Trail, and the suspect was seen running away on foot. The man was taken into custody, and a bag he had thrown while running was recovered.

The sheriff's office identified the suspect only as Nicholas, and said the bag contained methamphetamine.

Authorities said the suspect was wanted on two warrants for failure to appear — one was for DUI and the other was for failure to submit to Breathalyzer.

The suspect was arrested on the warrants, and charged with: grand theft motor vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with evidence, and resisting without violence.