Accused car thief released from jail steals deputy’s pickup truck, Utah sheriff says

A man released from a Utah jail after an earlier arrest on auto theft charges found temptation waiting in the parking lot — a running pickup truck with the door unlocked, sheriff’s officials told news outlets.

A deputy had left the unmarked patrol vehicle running to warm up, and a mechanical problem prevented the door from locking, sheriff’s officials told KSTU.

The just-released man drove off in the truck at 5 a.m. Tuesday, March 8, officials told KUTV.

Utah Highway Patrol officers spotted the truck a short time later near Nephi on Interstate 15, the Gephardt Daily reported.

Officers stopped the pickup truck with a spike strip and rearrested the driver, KSTU reported.

Juab County is south of Provo and Salt Lake City.

This story was originally published March 9, 2022 at 1:12 PM with the headline "Accused car thief released from jail steals deputy’s pickup truck, Utah sheriff says."