In an unusual turn of events, a robbery suspect in Southern California commandeered a driverless Waymo vehicle on Monday night, prompting a police chase. The incident began around 8:30 p.m. at a Ralphs grocery store in the Fairfax District. The Los Angeles Police Department managed to apprehend the suspect a few miles away after the autonomous vehicle pulled over in response to police sirens and flashing lights, as reported by KTLA.
The attempted getaway unfolded after an altercation occurred between, the suspect and the store's security guard. It's alleged that the suspect stole an unknown amount of merchandise before fleeing the scene. While the initial reports indicated that pepper spray was used by the suspect to evade the security guard, this detail has not been officially confirmed by the police, according to KTLA.
Law enforcement officers were alerted to the suspect's mode of escape, a Waymo autonomous vehicle which is equipped with software designed to detect and respond to police signals. "If your trip is interrupted by an interaction with law enforcement, Support will be notified and will contact you through the in-car speakers or your phone. Support will also speak to law enforcement officials through the in-car speakers to resolve the issue," the Waymo support page states, as obtained by KTLA.
As for the details of the initial crime, the exact amount of goods taken from Ralph’s grocery store remains unclear, and the LAPD has not released the names of the individuals involved in the incident, as per NBC Los Angeles.
