Woman charged after allegedly stealing, crashing Regina police vehicle

An 18-year-old woman is facing criminal charges after allegedly stealing – and crashing – a Regina police vehicle.

According to police, officers were called to Eighth Avenue on Wednesday at around 5:30 p.m. to help a woman who appeared to be in distress and was reportedly asking for help.

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The officers found the woman and determined she wasn’t actually in distress, the police service said, so the officers took the woman to a home where she knew the occupants.

“While the police member was confirming the female was welcome at the residence, the female climbed into the driver’s seat of the patrol vehicle and attempted to put the vehicle in motion,” the police service said in a statement.

“The police member attempted to remove the female from the vehicle. After a short struggle she was able to put the vehicle in drive and leave the area.”

Officers tracked the stolen police vehicle using GPS until it was involved in what police described as “a minor vehicle collision at Dewdney Avenue and McCarthy Boulevard” at around 6:05 p.m.

The woman was subsequently arrested, and is now facing charges including theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving, and possession of stolen property over $5,000.

She’s scheduled to appear in a Regina courtroom on Thursday morning.