A North Hollywood would-be car thief managed to wreck a stolen Porsche before officers even got him into handcuffs, after trying to haul the luxury ride away by towing it behind a pickup, police said. The Porsche scraped along a curb, broke loose and stalled in front of a carwash, and officers arrested a suspect roughly 10 minutes later. Authorities have not released the suspect's name, and there were no immediate reports of injuries.
Officers were called out around 6:27 a.m. after a report of a man trying to steal the high-end car and arrived to find a gray Porsche already hooked to a black pickup, with the driver refusing to follow commands, according to NBC Los Angeles. The pickup dragged the Porsche down Tujunga Avenue with its front end grinding against the curb until the tow bar gave out. Cellphone video captured heavy damage to the hood and front bumper as the stolen car came to a stop in front of a carwash. Even after the Porsche dropped off the truck, the suspect kept driving, and the chase continued for about 10 minutes before ending near Sherman Way and Canal Loop, where police arrested him on a felony evading charge.
Luxury car thefts rise as chases face fresh scrutiny
The North Hollywood mishap is unfolding against a backdrop of rising high-end vehicle thefts across Southern California. Detectives recently recovered multiple exotic cars, including Porsches, during a July 7 bust, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. At the same time, the city’s Office of the Inspector General has released a review of LAPD vehicle pursuits that result in serious injury or death, highlighting potential policy improvements and the ongoing tension between catching suspects and protecting bystanders, according to the Office of the Inspector General. LAPD said the suspect in the North Hollywood case was booked on felony evading and that the investigation remains active, with detectives asking anyone who captured video of the incident to contact the North Hollywood station, NBC Los Angeles reported. The future of the battered Porsche, whether it ends up repaired or simply held as evidence, has not yet been determined.
