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Hijacked: Ohio Car Theft Suspect Held 20 Feet in Air by Forklift Operator After Trying to Steal Car, Cops Say

Forklift Operator Lifts Suspected Car Thief 20 Feet in Air
Source: Akron Police

A forklift operator holds a suspected thief 20 feet in the air.

Nov. 9 2023, Published 9:03 a.m. ET

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A quick-thinking forklift operator provided major assistance in bringing a suspected car thief into police custody in Ohio.

Bodycam footage shared by police shows the suspect inside an SUV that was lifted 20 feet in the air so he couldn't take off with the vehicle, Knewz.com reported.

The footage, obtained by WOIO-TV and shared on Storyful, shows the SUV still hanging in the air when police arrive.

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Police say the man was attempting to steal the SUV from a wreckage yard before workers there sprang into action to detain the suspect in a rather unique way.

"What's your name, man?" an officer is heard saying in the video WOIO has the video here.

"None of your business, bro," the suspect says while handcuffed in police custody.

When police tell the man he's under arrest, he asks them the reason. The suspect then tells police he was running from someone.

The officer whose footage was shared then went to speak with employees at the business, which WOIO identified as Arlington Auto Wrecking. The man who operated the forklift to detain the driver said, "This car's bouncing, getting ready to flip off the forklift."

The dispatcher on the 911 call, which was also obtained by WOIO, sounded amused to get a call that was rather lighthearted.

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“So, he’s still in the car about 20 feet in the air in the loader,” the business employee told the dispatcher.

“Wonderful, that is the greatest thing I’ve ever heard,” the 911 operator reportedly said with a laugh. “We, we will get somebody out to you.”

WOIO, whose reporters spoke with employees of the business, reported that the man has allegedly been involved in two other incidents at the business. However, this was the first time he was caught in the act.

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The footage, which is from the Akron Police Department, is dated Oct. 17. It also shows police officers at the jail discussing the incident.

“He broke into a car at the junkyard, and before he could get out, he’s done it before, they got like a forklift, and they had him, I’m not kidding, like 20 feet off the ground, so when we got there, he went right into custody,” the officer said while others laughed.

The suspect, who was identified by employees as Alexander Funk, 26, was charged with criminal trespassing and possessing criminal tools.

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