HOMESTEAD, Fla. – A man was arrested Monday after he stole a Homestead police vehicle following a rollover crash, authorities said.
The crash was reported at the intersection of Northeast Eighth Street and North Homestead Boulevard.
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According to police, an officer at the scene later observed the suspect, Johnny Lott, 42, “disturbing items related to the ongoing investigation.”
According to his arrest report, Lott had picked up a pair of sunglasses on the ground and an officer informed him that those belonged to the owner of one of the vehicles involved in the crash and that he needed to place them back on the ground.
Police said Lott complied and continued to walk across the street.
Another officer then saw him picking up a small socket wrench from the ground, and he was again advised that the item belonged to someone involved in the crash and he needed to put it down and leave the area, the report stated.
According to the report, Lott complied but then walked toward an officer’s vehicle that was parked nearby and fled the scene.
Police said Lott had the police vehicle’s lights on, causing bystanders and other drivers to believe it was an actual police officer operating the vehicle.
According to police, Lott eventually lost control of the police car and crashed it into a fence at JD Redd Park.
He was arrested on charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle, grand theft of law enforcement equipment and resisting arrest without violence.
Police said additional traffic-related charges are pending.
As of Tuesday morning, Lott remained held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $5,500 bond.