Tulsa Man Arrested After Stealing, Crashing Police Cruiser

A man was arrested early Monday morning after he unlatched one of his handcuffs, hopped into the driver's seat of the Tulsa police cruiser and drove off before crashing it into a ditch.

Cody Rose, 25, was initially arrested for robbing two men at gunpoint while wearing sunglasses and a bandanna on his face as the two victims were dumpster-diving overnight, police said. 

The victims said they didn't have any money, just their truck, which they'd left running nearby. Rose got into the victims' truck and left the scene near Admiral and Lewis, and the victims went to a nearby phone and called the police, according to the arrest report. 

TPD spotted the truck a short time later and attempted to stop it, but the truck took off and police pursued. Rose was caught and put into the police car, and while police continued their investigation, Rose managed to get his hands free from his handcuffs and took off in the cruiser, police said. 

Another brief chase began and Rose was caught after crashing the cruiser into a ditch near a walking trail at 50th Street North and Peoria.

Rose admitted to the robbery and having a gun that he said he bought "on the street" for $50, police said. 

Rose also confessed to a December 28, 2016, robbery where he said he cut a hole in the roof of the J's Super Store on north Peoria. 

12/28/2016 Related Story: Burglary Suspect Runs Away After Jumping Off Tulsa Store's Roof

He said in that robbery, he stole $30, 27 cartons of cigarettes, and cut wires to security cameras. The owner of the store said he saw Rose jump from the roof and take off, and he was able to identify him because Rose had worked on the store's coolers before. 

Rose was booked into the Tulsa County jail on complaints of armed robbery, two counts of larceny of an automobile, escape from arrest, second-degree burglary and wearing a mask while committing a felony. His booking information didn't list a residence and states that he's homeless.

His court date has been set for January 17. 

People who know him say they hope spending time behind bars will help straighten him out.

Jocelyn Rodriguez knows Rose from the work he used to do around J's Super Store. She said he'd help around the store for a bite to eat or something to drink.

"He seemed pretty nice," she said. "Disappointing because I think everyone tried to help him."

Because of Rose, the store now has tighter security.

"He was doing good for a little bit but then all of a sudden, it just started going crazy, crazy, crazy," said Rodriguez, who works at the store.

Rodriguez says he stole from the store twice last year. After hours, he snuck in, cut the wires to the security cameras and  got away with some cash and cigarettes. 

But police were only able to arrest him the second time for carrying a weapon.She says it's unfortunate to see him in trouble again, but hopes this pushes him in a better direction.

Police say it will take some time to determine if the wrecked police cruiser is totaled, or if it can be fixed. The good news out of all of this, no one got hurt.

"I would hope spending some time in jail will kind of make him think and make him want to do something better," she said.