A Missouri man accused of stealing tools managed to slip out of his handcuffs and drive away in a police cruiser before he was caught, KTVI reported.

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Police in Arnold handcuffed a 23-year-old man and put him in the back of a cruiser Monday morning, but the suspect freed himself and drove away, barreling through some neighborhood backyards, the television station reported.

Natalie Pott told KTVI that she "heard a big boom" in her yard and thought it was a tree falling but then noticed a vehicle had been driven through her backyard and crashed through a fence.

“This was all torn down, saw the tracks, that was all torn down," Pott told the television station.

Police said the man then returned to the road and hit a car, injuring a woman, KTVI reported.

“When he went through private property, there’s little kids playing, he could have hurt one of them," resident Mike Selby told the television station.

Police said the suspect could face charges ranging from assault on a police officer to stealing and damage to property, KTVI reported.

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