We Three Thieves

It was another overnight shift. I was driving down Lakeside Ave. getting ready to make a left turn onto Ontario Ave. I look to my left and I see sitting near the intersection, a Ford Bronco II that has plowed itself into a parked Grand Am. It's been there for a while and there's no one around.

I call to my assignment desk and tell them about what I'm seeing. I also tell them to call the cops. I alert the desk that I'm sticking around in case anyone wanders by bleeding or at least until the cops show up.

So, I wait...

And wait...

Annnnnd wait....

Twenty minutes go by. No cops. This is a major feat because the intersection of Lakeside and Ontario in Cleveland is in front of the Justice Center and Cleveland's police HQ.

So, as I'm sitting there, I see three figures in my rear view mirror dart behind my car. I look to my left and sure enough, three teenage boys head to the Bronco. They immediately start to pull open the drivers door.

One kid got it open and popped the hood. Another kid opened the hood and started tinkering with something in the engine. The third kid is standing on the sidewalk with his head on a swivel, looking for cops or someone passing by.

I hop out of my car, get my camera and start rolling on these idiots. I'm about twenty feet away from them as they continue to hotwire this car. The third kid, who was on "lookout" finally notices me taping them. "Hey!!", he shouted, "we're being videotaped!!" Then he proceeds to cover his face with his t-shirt.

The second kid, comes out from under the hood and heads to the driver's side. I yell out, "The cops are on the way..." The second kid looks over and pulls out his cell phone and says, "I already reported it stolen."

The three geniuses finally get the Bronco started and they hop in. As they back up, they do more damage to the Grand Am because the bumpers locked and they backed up really fast. As they drove away, they were looking back at me and laughing.

So, I call this back to my assignment desk and tell them what happened and that I have it all on tape. They should call the police and let them know what direction they headed.

And I wait...

And wait....

And wait...another twenty minutes. STILL no cops show up.

Then I see an EMS unit a couple blocks away hauling ass with lights and sirens. Then two fire engines and two cops cars follow. Behind me, three police cars go by with lights and sirens blaring also. I call my assignment desk and ask my guy if anything is going on downtown. Russ, my desk guy, tells me they're checking out a car accident close to where I'm at. A possible flipped car. I tell Russ, I'll head over to check it out since it's only three blocks away.

And, you've guessed it. I get there and there is the Bronco that was just stolen, laying on it's side under a bridge overpass. These three kids didn't make it a full three blocks on their getaway when they rolled it. Of course they weren't around but I informed they police what I witnessed and had on tape.

The lieutenant blinked and asked, "You have it on tape???" I told him I waited and no police showed up but three kids and they started to steal the car, so I taped them. He asked if I could make him a copy of the tape but unfortunately what I shoot is my station's property and unless it is demanded under a subpeonea, I can't give it to him.

I don't know if they found the kids but if you ask me, if they're going to steal cars, they need driving lessons first.