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“Officer, I Just Stole This Car”

Los Angeles. Two Los Angeles police officers were stunned Labor Day morning when a man drove up alongside their police car near Olympic Boulevard and Broadway, and declared, “I just stole this car.”

“No one was more incredulous that than the officers,” said Lt. Paul Vernon, head of detectives downtown. “But they asked him to pull over and investigated his claim.”

Christian Borro, 27, explained that he had stolen the 2000 Honda Civic from an apartment complex in San Diego, California, around midnight, about 12 hours earlier. He pointed out to the two officers how he used a screwdriver to bypass the ignition. The officers could see wiring hanging from the steering column.

“The amazing thing was the owner had no idea her car was missing and had not reported it,” Lt. Vernon explained. “So there was no way the officers could have singled out the car as stolen in this case had it not been for Borro’s declaration.”

When asked why he told the officers the car was stolen, he answered, “Because I’m almost out of gas.”

“It almost sounds like he was afraid of being stranded if the car ran out of gas, or maybe he didn’t want to waste his own gas money on someone else’s car,” Lt. Vernon added. “Don’t try to make sense of it. If crooks really thought their crimes through, they wouldn’t do them in the first place.”

Borro listed his occupation as a student at Miramar College near San Diego. He was born in Guam.

The LAPD accepts tips on crime. Tipsters can remain anonymous by calling into Crimestoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477), or by texting 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone. All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Online tips may be placed at www.LAPDOnline.org, click on “webtips” and follow the prompts.

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