Vehicle theft suspect leads police on chase

POST FALLS — A stolen vehicle suspect led police on a chase on Sunday night before the pursuit was called off due to dangerous conditions, according to Post Falls Police.

"The pursuit started at Cecil and Mullan and discontinued at Horsehaven and Highway 41 (both in Post Falls)," said Post Falls police Capt. Greg McLean.

McLean said police have a person of interest, but declined to release a name, citing the pending investigation.

Police believe the male suspect stole a black 2003 Dodge Durango earlier in the day on Sunday from a longtime female friend and officers responded to the Walmart on Mullan Avenue for a shoplifting call at 5:43 p.m.

"When officers responded, he was leaving," McLean said. "When they attempted to stop him, he fled."

McLean said it wasn’t until after the pursuit that the female vehicle owner realized her vehicle was stolen.

The owner told police she returned home on Monday morning to discover the vehicle had been stolen. She told police that the keys for the vehicle were in her home the last time she saw them and that no one else had permission to drive the vehicle.

The vehicle was stolen from the 3600 block of East Second Avenue. It was found abandoned after the pursuit in a field west of Faith Ministries at 5095 E. 16th Ave.

The vehicle was not damaged and was reported as suspicious by the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, McLean said.