Man wanted for stealing police car

By Megan Matteucci

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Police are searching for a man who slipped out of his handcuffs and stole a Duluth police cruiser.

A Duluth officer stopped a U-Haul truck around 5 p.m. Monday for a traffic violation. The officer realized the driver was intoxicated and arrested him for with DUI, Duluth Major Don Woodruff said.

The officer handcuffed the man and placed him in the backseat of the patrol car.

The officer then returned to the U-Haul to search the truck. When he came back, his patrol car -- and the suspect -- were gone, Woodruff said.

“He managed to slip one hand out of the cuffs and kick out the back window,” Woodruff said.

Dozens of officers from Duluth, DeKalb County and Atlanta immediately began searching the area.

They spotted the patrol car on Memorial Drive near South Howard Street. But the suspect saw the police coming and jumped out, Woodruff said.

None of the equipment was missing from the car, Woodruff said.

Officers are still searching for the suspect. The only description available was a black male about 30 years old, 5-feet-10 inches and 165 pounds.

Police said the U-Haul had been stolen.