A man has been arrested days after police say he stole a police cruiser from the University of the District of Columbia, and then took the car on a shopping trip to Lowe's.
Donald Gladden, 50, was arrested Wednesday and charged with theft and theft from a motor vehicle, D.C. police said.
Police said Gladden stole the gray Ford Explorer cruiser from the UDC campus in the 4200 block of Connecticut Avenue NW just before 4 a.m. Friday. The vehicle was clearly marked with the word "police" and included a badge.
Surveillance video police shared before the arrest showed a man get out of the SUV and walk into a Lowe's store. Cameras inside the store captured him strolling around and filling his cart with paper towels and laundry detergent. He then left the store and loaded his purchases into the cruiser.
Police later recovered the vehicle in the Truxton Circle area of Northwest D.C.