He was trying to stop some car thieves when they drove off with his ride.

Car theft has become so common in the Seattle area that even police officers are feeling the pinch. One who was off duty at the time had his personal vehicle stolen from an apartment complex parking lot, the thieves striking him with it on their way out on the morning of September 11. This is where things have progressed over halfway through 2023 and we’re afraid it’s going to get much worse.

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The officer thankfully wasn’t seriously injured, says local station King 5. He was able to squeeze off one round after his own car came barreling towards him. He heard the thieves in the process of stealing it and went to investigate. Unsurprisingly, his ride is a Hyundai Santa Fe, popular options with quite a few crooks these days.

There was no evidence that the off-duty officer, who wasn’t named in the report, struck anyone with the single round he fired. His Hyundai was located later, but no blood or other indication of anyone being injured inside it was discovered.

Since the incident happened in the city of Edmonds, that police department is investigating the incident. However, since it also involved an officer discharging his firearm, Seattle Police Department is also investigating. That should be fun.

According to the report, some police department that was in the Hyundai was stolen by the suspects. That included a handgun, ballistic vest, and radio.

If you live in a high-theft area or have a vehicle thieves are more likely to target, which can change based on geography, you might want to consider some aftermarket anti-theft devices as well as a GPS tracker. These days you just can’t be too careful since thieves seemingly have a free run of so many areas.

Image via King 5

By Steven Symes

Steven Symes is an accomplished automotive journalist with a passion for all things related to cars. His extensive knowledge and love for the automotive world shine through in his writing, which covers a diverse range of topics.