Alleged L.A. car thief ditches cops despite stopping for gas

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The driver of a vehicle that was reported stolen stopped to get gas while being pursued by police — and still got away.

The chase involving a dark blue Infinity 250 sedan began Friday night in the Wilshire area of Los Angeles, with the driver travelling up to 160 km/h at time, Kabc reported.

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Officers on the ground and the police helicopter overhead halted their chase; however, the outlet’s news chopper continued to follow the suspect.

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Footage shows the driver pulling over at a Shell gas station in Lynwood to fill up. The suspect, who was wearing dark shorts and a dark shirt and baseball cap and had his face covered, looked right into the news channel’s camera while pumping gas.

The reporter in the chopper said no police vehicles were nearby, allowing the man to fill up his tank for more than a minute.

“He couldn’t be acting any more suspicious, I’ll tell you that,” the reporter said.

However, a motorcycle rider at a nearby pump seemed to be completely unaware of the situation.

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The chase continued after the alleged car thief filled up with City of Bell police officers on the vehicle’s tail as it was driven recklessly.

However, the cops soon fall back, allowing for the driver to stop under an overpass, out of sight from either chopper, and flee on foot.

The vehicle he was driving rolled into a light pole and the driver was long gone.

The driver remains on the loose, according to the outlet.

Police believe the suspect was picked up by another driver who helped him escape.

The news chopper reporter said: “Maybe his smartest move of the night.”

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