Like a mission straight out of the Grand Theft Auto video game series, a man in Cochise County, Arizona hijacked an entire car carrier hauling 10 C8 Corvettes, estimated to be worth more than $1.25 million. Thankfully, the truck was recovered as peacefully as possible and no one was injured.
The suspect, Isaiah Walker, was reportedly talking to the truck driver at the Wilcox Loves Truck Stop, before stealing the truck. According to the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department, Wilcox “lulled him into a sense of security.” Then, when the driver was getting back into the truck, Walker threw him out, got in, and made off with it.
A Cochise County deputy quickly found Walker driving the truck—a car carrier hauling 10 Corvettes is neither quick nor easy to miss—and pursued him. Though Walker initially tried to flee the police, the truck eventually came to a stop on County Line Road.
Once the police arrested Walker, he claimed that stealing the Corvettes wasn’t the reason he hijacked the truck. Instead, according to Fox 10 Phoenix, his reasoning was that he had just been released from prison and needed a ride home.
Walker was booked in Cochise County jail for robbery, 11 counts of theft of means of transportation, and felony theft.
“I am extremely proud of the officer and deputy involved in this investigation. The deputy and officer showed great restraint and patience in bringing a serious crime to a peaceful resolution, all while keeping the property of others from being damaged,” said Cochise Police Chief Dale Hadfield. “The stolen vehicle was safely recovered without damage and was released to the driver so he could continue his delivery. Again, I thank the officer and deputy who were involved in this investigation for keeping our citizens safe.”
Thankfully no one was hurt, nothing was damaged, and all of the Corvettes were delivered. As we learned last week, not every police chase ends peacefully.
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