Man Accused Of Stealing Vancouver Fire Vehicle And Dumping It In Oregon

Vancouver, Wash. — On January 15, around 10:30 p.m., Vancouver Police responded to an incident at W Mill Plain Blvd and Kauffman Ave involving the theft of a Vancouver Fire Department Squad 1 Dodge 5500 truck. The theft occurred at the scene of a medical call while paramedics were attending to a patient inside. Despite an extensive search conducted by the Vancouver Police Department and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, the stolen vehicle was not located.

According to the Washington State Patrol, the truck was spotted on one of their freeway cameras entering Oregon approximately 5 minutes after the reported theft. At around 5:00 a.m. the following morning, the vehicle was discovered unoccupied in the Albany, Oregon area by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.

Near the abandoned vehicle, Sheriff’s deputies encountered a male inside an empty house. The individual was interviewed and subsequently arrested for Unlawful Use of a Motor Vehicle, specifically related to the theft of the fire truck. Additionally, the arrest included charges for an outstanding Washington County warrant. Details pertaining to the arrest should be directed to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.

The Vancouver Police Department Property Crimes Unit is actively continuing the investigation. Individuals with information related to this incident are urged to contact the Vancouver Police Department.