We’ve seen some pretty dumb criminals over the years, but this time it was the police who made a bit of a blunder. A Michigan woman in custody managed to climb out a cruiser’s open window and run away, handcuffs and all last weekend, reports CBS News. I’m not usually one to tell you how to do your job, but it seems to me that you’re going to lock someone up, you might want to close the window.
It happened in Muskegon Heights, Michigan, when police investigated a vehicle parked near a closed business. After identifying the driver, they were unable to identify the female passenger until another officer arrived with a fingerprint scanner. Her prints revealed not only her identity, which has not been made public, but also that she was wanted for a parole violation.
Police arrested the woman, handcuffed her, and put her in the back of a cruiser. The window was partly open, presumably for ventilation. It seems that police did not count on her flexibility and determination. In a scene the looked oddly familiar, the suspect managed to push her torso out the window, pull out one leg, then the other, then land on her feet as she dropped to the ground, all while handcuffed. She ran away before police even noticed that she was gone.
Smooth criminal
Later that day, police responded to a report of a break-in on Peck Street. The woman who escaped the back of the cruiser was the prime suspect. She managed to evade police for several days until she was caught hiding out inside a vacant home and arrested, again. This time, she remained in custody all the way to Muskegon County Jail, where she is being held. Police probably closed the window this time.
A few seconds of internet sleuthing found a wide selection of window barriers for police cars. When I had my ex-cop Crown Victoria, I thought about adding these just to mess with my passengers. They’re much more useful in the real world, not just for preventing suspects from escaping, but also from kicking out the glass. Police cars aren’t cheap, and it’s worth protecting the taxpayers’ investment. It’s also worth protecting taxpayers from escapees who may commit more crimes later.
Still, it’s hard to break a car window from the inside, even without extra protection. No reports indicate that this woman was violent or aggressive, so she may not have even tried. If only someone had closed that window, or even left it just an inch or two open for air, she likely would have remained in custody the first time.
