Stolen vehicle recovered, driver arrested within minutes in Dowagiac

CASS COUNTY, Mich. – A Cassopolis woman was arrested after allegedly stealing a vehicle from a gas station Tuesday evening, the Dowagiac Police Department reported.

Police were called to a gas station in Dowagiac at 8:46 p.m. with reports of a vehicle that had just been stolen, reports said.

The victim of the vehicle theft told officers that they had purchased gas for their vehicle and went inside the store and left the vehicle running while unoccupied, officers said.

A female in the parking lot was seen getting into the vehicle and driving away in it, officials said.

Officers who responded to the scene alerted other officers to look out for the vehicle and suspect.

A Dowagiac police officer located and stopped the vehicle within a few minutes of the call going out, reports said.

Officers identified and arrested the suspect, officials said.

The suspect, who’s name is being withheld pending her arraignment, also had a valid arrest warrant out for her arrest from Saginaw Township for a motor vehicle theft, officials reported.

The suspect was arrested and faces preliminary charges of unlawful driving away of an automobile and an outstanding warrant for UDAA out of Saginaw Township, officers said.

No one was injured in this incident.

The stolen vehicle was returned to its owner without any damages.