Man Steals HI Apparatus, Drives to Convenience Store

July 22, 2021
The Honolulu Fire Department apparatus was running at a medical call in Waianai when a man allegedly took off with the rig and drove it to 7-Eleven in neighboring Makaha.

A man in Hawaii was arrested for stealing a fire truck Saturday and police found the vehicle and the suspect parked at a 7-11, the Honolulu Fire Department told Hawaii News Now.

Firefighters were responding to a medical call on Farrington Highway in Waianai on West Honolulu at around 3:30 a.m., when the suspect drove off with the fire truck.

When firefighters entered the home to offer assistance, they left the ladder truck running with its lights on, making it easy for the suspect to take off with the vehicle, Hawaii News Now said. Officials told the news site that this is standard procedure in emergency situations.

Firefighters realized the truck was missing at 4 a.m.

The fire department notified the Honolulu Police Department who found the stolen vehicle and the suspect minutes later at a 7-11 in neighboring Makaha, KITV said.

There were no reported injuries, nothing missing and no damage to the truck.

The the 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle without permission, KITV said.

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