Two running vehicles were stolen in Duluth Friday afternoon.
In the first instance, a woman left her 2004 gold Pontiac Grand Am running while she ran into the Holiday Station at 1530 Woodland Avenue around noon. When she left the store, her car was gone. About 40 minutes later, police spotted and stopped the stolen vehicle. The driver was taken into custody.
At 3:15 p.m., a man left his 1994 white Ford Taurus running with the doors locked in front of his home near 11th Avenue East and Fourth Street. While in the house, he saw his car being stolen by an unknown man. An officer saw but could not apprehend the car a short time later. Then the police dispatcher began getting calls about a car driving recklessly southbound on Interstate 35. Police chased the stolen car into and through Lincoln Park, where the driver eventually crashed the car into a tree. He was captured and brought to a hospital for minor injuries from the crash.
Both suspects are being held at the St. Louis County Jail.
Duluth Police Sgt. Jon Haataja cautioned drivers against leaving the cars running because it makes them appealing targets, especially in the cold winter months.
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"When it's this cold out and you're walking and there's a car with its keys in it, it doesn't matter if it's a BMW or a Yugo," he said.
