Suspect steals fire department truck, pursuit ends near Vacaville

An Oakland Fire Department truck stolen Saturday morning was pursued by law enforcement on various Bay Area freeways for about an hour until law enforcement stopped it near Vacaville and arrested the suspected car thief, police said.

A neighbor living near Fire Station 23 at 7100 Foothill Boulevard spotted a suspicious person and alerted police about 10:45 a.m., officials said.

After the truck left the station, Oakland police and the California Highway Patrol followed it on freeways through three counties, including interstate highways 80 and 680.

The vehicle is smaller truck used to fight wildland brush fires, said Oakland Fire Department Deputy Chief Nick Luby.

The only damage to the truck after the brazen theft was to its tires, which were punctured by spike strips that slowed it until it finally stopped near Vacaville, officials said.

Fire Station 23 was locked at the time of the theft and there were no staff present when truck was stolen, Luby said. Fire officials don’t know how the suspect entered the building to take the truck.

Oakland police said the suspect was an adult male but didn’t release any other information.