VIDEO: Auto theft in Bremerton caught on surveillance tape

The suspect was arrested after a lengthy foot pursuit.

BREMERTON — An attempted auto theft was caught on tape and the suspect was apprehended by city police after a lengthy foot pursuit, authorities said.

At approximately 4:25 p.m. on March 7, Bremerton Police Department officers were called to the 1500 block of Elizabeth Avenue where a 24-year-old male suspect attempted to steal a truck, Lt. Randy Plumb said in a press release. The victim’s two-year-old child was in the vehicle at the time, but the victim was able to fight off the suspect. The victim reported being punched in the face by the suspect during the scuffle.

After fleeing the scene and refusing to comply with commands to stop, officers pursued the suspect on foot, chasing him southbound on Elizabeth Avenue. The man made several attempts to evade police, including jumping into the bed of a truck that had stopped at a red light on 11th avenue; and entering a residence in the 1000 block of Warren Avenue. The suspect had a gold key in his hand and continued to “walk towards” the occupants, who ordered him out of the home.

The suspect left the Warren Avenue house once he heard sirens, Plumb said, and continued to run. Just a short time later, the suspect slipped and fell down, allowing officers to arrest him.

The man was taken to Harrison Medical Center, where he was cleared to be taken to Kitsap County Jail, where he has been booked. It is believed the suspect may have been under the influence of drugs, Plumb said. He was treated at the scene and Plumb reported that he had kicked one of the medics during treatment.

Plumb said the suspect’s name can be released once he is formally charged.