12-year-old steals forklift from Ann Arbor middle school, flees police

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 12-year-old in a stolen forklift averted Ann Arbor police and Washtenaw County Sheriff's deputies before eventually being arrested Saturday evening. 

Police were called to Forsythe Middle School around 6:45 p.m. on reports of a juvenile trying to steal a construction vehicle. A few minutes later, they spotted the vehicle driving south on Brooks near Pearl without lights.

Officers began pursuing the forklift at 15-20 MPH. During the pursuit, police say the 12-year-old boy went through the Georgetown Boulevard neighborhood and hit about 10 parked vehicles. 

Washtenaw County deputies picked up the chase after Ann Arbor police terminated the pursuit when the driver went across the M-14 bridge while driving on Nixon around 7:18 p.m. Around 7:53 p.m., the boy stopped on M-14 near Gotfredson and was taken into custody.

Police said the vehicle, a Genie GTH-636 Telehandler, was left unlocked at the middle school with the key hidden inside. That's where the boy stole the vehicle.  

An investigation is ongoing. 

(Photo: Ann Arbor Police)