Criminals Steal Porsche, Rob Bank, Run From Police In Ohio

Still think car theft is a victimless crime?

Three men were able to steal a Porsche from a dealership in Ohio, rob a bank, and lead police on a high-speed chase on I-70, ending in a shootout that left at least one dead. The whole thing almost sounds like something out of a movie, but instead this is a reality police in many areas are facing regularly.

Watch Arkansas police try chasing a Porsche Panamera.

According to WBNS, the crime spree started on the afternoon of July 6 when a suspect ran into a dealership in Whitehall, Ohio, brandished a gun, and demanded the keys to a Porsche Cayenne. Employees complied quickly under the threat of death while customers in the showroom cowered.

Police responded to the dealership heist but arrived after the suspect left with the Porsche. However, detectives were able to start tracking the luxury SUV. It’s not surprising the theft wasn’t just about making some money off the vehicle, something police know all too well.

Instead, the Porsche Cayenne was obtained to use as a getaway car for a bank robbery just two hours later. Because detectives had an active GPS tracker to work with, they knew the suspect and possibly others were at the bank before the robbery happened. However, they couldn’t get there until the robbery was in progress.

Not wanting to have a shootout with innocent civilians caught in the crossfire, police didn’t engage the suspects until they were outside. As you can see in badgecam footage, the suspects simply drove away and that’s when a chase began.

The chase on I-70 lasted about 10 minutes until it ended and a shootout with eight officers ensued. During the exchange of gunfire, one of the robbery suspects was killed and one Columbus officer was shot in the leg. That officer was in critical condition when he was rushed to the hospital, but his condition was upgraded to stable later.

During the chaotic event, two of the suspects got away on foot. In the early morning hours of July 7, the US Marshals arrested 23-year-old Fazsal M. Darod outside his residence. Then on the afternoon of July 9, 20-year-old Aden Abdullahi was arrested at Chicago O’Hare International Airport by US Marshals and HSI agents while he was trying to get on a flight to Turkey.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office, both men have been charged with aiding and abetting a bank robbery and aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a crime of violence. The men could be facing 25 years to life in prison if convicted.

Authorities have declined to name the deceased suspect.

Once again, we see cars aren’t always stolen just for joyrides, because a person needs a ride to work, or even to chop up or sell. Many times, vehicles are boosted to be used in the commission of other crimes, including robberies, drive-bys, and even those lovely street takeovers.