Cruiser Thief Crawled Through Tiny Window While Handcuffed

Police have released more details about how a handcuffed suspect managed to steal a Dexter Police cruiser.

WABI-TV reports 22-year-old Tyler Tibbetts was arrested last Friday for a parole violation. Police handcuffed Tibbetts, with his hands behind his back, and put him the back of the cruiser. The vehicle was left running so the suspect wouldn't get too warm while the investigation continued.

While sitting in the cruiser by himself, Tibbetts was able to maneuver his hands to the front of his body. He then squeezed headfirst through an 11-inch square opening between the front and rear seats and took the cruiser, later abandoning it on the Parkman Road in Garland.

Later in the day, police say he stole another vehicle and, when spotted by police, led them on a high-speed chase before crashing on Route 15 in Dover-Foxcroft. He was seriously injured in the crash and taken by LifeFlight helicopter to the hospital.

Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland said in a media release today that Tibbetts was released from Eastern Maine Medical Center yesterday and taken to the Penobscot County Jail. State Police have charged him with the theft of a motor vehicle, in connection with the stolen police cruiser. In addition, Dover-Foxcroft Police have charged him  with eluding police, criminal speed, and driving without a license in connection with the police chase. He's also still going to face probation violation charges and had two outstanding warrants for similar charges.