A Delray Beach police officer sustained minor injuries yesterday when a suspect fleeing from a shoplifting incident collided with a patrol vehicle. The City of Delray Beach Police Department reported to BocaNewsNow.com that at around 1:50 p.m., an adult male committed theft at the Publix located at 4771 W. Atlantic Avenue, then attempted to escape in a waiting vehicle, leading to the incident.
The collision occurred as the suspect was trying to exit the shopping plaza, which not only involved an officer's injuries but also the suspects abandoning their car and fleeing on foot, this quickly prompted the law enforcement to secure the area and a suspect described as the driver was soon apprehended, while the passenger managed to elude capture. The Delray Beach Police Department said in a statement obtained by BocaNewsNow.com, "Our officers quickly established a perimeter, resulting in the apprehension of the driver."
Further details provided by a post from the Delray Beach Police official X account also confirmed that one suspect remains on the loose following the collision in the shopping plaza. The department reiterated, "The driver was caught, but the passenger is still at large." The officer involved was taken to a local hospital for an evaluation following the encounter.
Today at 1:50 p.m., a male shoplifted from Publix at 4771 W. Atlantic Ave. He fled to a vehicle that collided with a police car in the shopping plaza. The driver was caught, but the passenger is still at large. The officer sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital.
— Delray Beach Police (@DelrayBeachPD) January 21, 2025
Authorities are seeking information from the public and encourage anyone with knowledge of the incident to come forward; you can contact the Delray Beach Police Department at 561-243-7888 or CrimeStoppers of Palm Beach County at 800-458-TIPS and for those preferring anonymity, BocaNewsNow.com offers a tip line at 561-576-NEWS (6397) where you can either call or text that way they can relay the information while keeping the tipster's identity concealed.
