Police: Fla. woman steals police car

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Police said a woman stole a St. Petersburg. Fla., police car and then drove it to Tampa before being arrested.

The incident began at 9:27 p.m. Saturday night, when two officers in two separate cars arrived at the scene of a domestic fight on 62nd Ave., police said.

Tampa Bay Times said Vanessa Brooks, 22, flagged down a passing truck on the same street while police were inside.

Police said the driver stopped the truck and Brooks allegedly reached inside it, grabbed a cell phone and ran to where the officers' cars were.

She got inside one of the vehicles, put the keys in the ignition and backed it up into the other police car, Tampa Bay Times reported.

Police said they came back outside at 9:41 p.m., saw one of their cars missing and alerted local authorities about the theft.

Tampa police officers located the car at a McDonald's at 9:58 pm and when they tried to approach her, Brooks ran from the officers.

Tampa Bay Times said the officers reached her and arrested her, but the car was left in gear and it rolled backward and hit a tree.

Police said Brooks was charged with vehicle burglary, auto theft and leaving the scene of the crash.