Michigan Police Pursuit: 12-Year-Old Behind Stolen Forklift in Suburban Chase

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A 12-year-old boy led a dramatic hour-long chase through the streets of Ann Arbor, Michigan, using a stolen construction forklift that he had taken from Forsythe Middle School.

On a Saturday evening, the Ann Arbor Police Department reacted to notifications regarding the theft of the forklift. The Ann Arbor Police Department was alerted to the forklift’s theft during the Saturday evening hours.

Officers promptly located the boy navigating the stolen vehicle along a suburban area at around 6:48 pm A pursuit ensued, with police trailing behind the forklift at speeds ranging from 15 to 20 mph, using emergency lights and sirens in an attempt to apprehend the young driver.

Authorities in Michigan revealed dashcam video of the incident, which showed the child operating the forklift carelessly, climbing curbs, ignoring traffic signals, and even toppling a road sign. 

Officers involved in the pursuit communicated their concerns about the risk of the forklift’s hooks damaging their vehicles, cautioning each other to avoid confronting the vehicle head-on.

Michigan’s Ongoing Probe and Law Enforcement

michigan-police-pursuit-12-year-old behind-stolen-forklift-in-suburban-chase
A 12-year-old boy led a dramatic hour-long chase through the streets of Ann Arbor, Michigan, using a stolen construction forklift that he had taken from Forsythe Middle School.

During the slow-speed chase, the boy collided with approximately 10 parked vehicles in his attempt to flee. 

As the situation escalated, the pursuit transitioned from Ann Arbor to the outskirts of neighboring Detroit, where the forklift came to a halt in the area of M-14 and Gotfredson around 7:53 pm This location was approximately 10 miles away from Forsythe Middle School.

Thankfully, there were no reported injuries throughout the atypical pursuit. Fortunately, no harm or physical damage was recorded during the unconventional chase.

The youngster was taken into custody by Michigan law enforcement after the event and then moved to a juvenile detention facility. Authorities underscored that the event is still being investigated and underlined the serious danger that such careless activities pose.

The stolen Construction Genie GTH-636 Telehandler, equipped with a forklift, had been unlocked using a hidden key found inside the cab, according to police statements. 

The episode serves as a stark reminder of the potential risks and consequences associated with such alarming and unauthorized activities.

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