Three young girls, one of them aged just 12, were arrested in Tacoma on New Year's Day after reportedly being caught driving a stolen Kia Optima. The incident occurred around 8 p.m. in the city's South End, where a Tacoma police officer noticed the vehicle's suspicious behavior on the road, compounded by heavily fogged windows. The Pierce County Juvenile Court has since charged two of the juveniles in connection with the alleged car theft, as detailed in documents obtained by The News Tribune.
As per a Tacoma police spokesperson, Detective William Muse, the vehicle had been reported stolen from Kent the previous Tuesday. When an officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the car abruptly turned, and eventually the three girls decided to suddenly abandon it and began to run away. An immediate foot chase ensued, leading to the apprehension of all three minors, as reported by KOMO News.
Amidst the unfolding of these events, an alarming detail surfaced regarding the alleged method used to commandeer the vehicle. One of the girls was in possession of a USB cable, a tool increasingly noted by law enforcement to be commonly used in the thefts of cars, particularly Kias and Hyundais. This detail was highlighted by Tacoma Police and captured in the coverage provided by FOX 13 Seattle.
As the investigation continues, authorities are looking carefully at how to effectively respond to and prevent such incidences from continuing to occur.
