CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (AP) -- The fire department's so-called brush buggy _ a 1967 Kaiser Jeep rigged with a water tank - isn't easy to miss with its fire-engine red paint job.
Maybe that's why a citizen called police so quickly after seeing someone driving around town Monday night in the vehicle that had been parked outside a local fire station for about a month with a for sale sign.
``We knew it was missing before they did,'' said police Capt. Wayne Nehring. ``It still had the 'For Sale' sign on it.''
Police called the fire department and started looking for the missing vehicle, which had been taken out of service when the department bought a new brush buggy.
When it couldn't be found locally, other law enforcement agencies in the area were notified.
A motorist reported seeing the vehicle heading into Barron County, and authorities pulled it over and arrested the driver, who didn't even try to flee.
``It wasn't much good in a high speed chase. It only went about 40 mph,'' said Fire Department Battalion Chief Randy Missfeldt.
The 20-year-old driver could face vehicle theft charges. He was cited for an underage alcohol violation. He was already out on bail from a second-offense drunken driving arrest in Polk County July 3.
Information from: The Chippewa Herald
