Indiana Man Who Stole Squad Car In Handcuffs Turns Himself In

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jan 13, 2012 3:00PM

The Indiana man who stole a squad car while he was handcuffed earlier this week has surrendered himself to authorities. William Francis Blankenship III stole the squad car in the Northwest Indiana town of Kouts after a police officer discovered drug paraphernalia in his car during a traffic stop where Blankenship was clocked driving 53 mph in a 35 mph zone.

Blankenship, whose hands were cuffed behind his back, somehow managed to steal the squad car and used the radio to ask for the location of the key to the cuffs and the car's cigarette lighter. The squad car, which contained an undisclosed number of loaded weapons, was later found in a drainage ditch. Blankenship turned himself in after police visited his home last night. He said he stole the car because he had a family, didn't want to go to jail and didn't know what he would do when approached.