Driver arrested in police pursuit throughout Philadelphia area: sources

PHILADELPHIA - A police chase throughout the streets of Philadelphia ended with a capture in Delaware County, sources say. 

Philadelphia police say they spotted a gray 2005 Ford F-150 that was stolen just two days before Christmas 2023. 

Police sources say at around 6:31 p.m. a highway police car was behind the vehicle when the driver refused to pull over beginning at 2nd and Indiana Streets in North Philadelphia. 

Because of the potential of putting pedestrians and other drivers at risk, police grounded patrol vehicles and periodically stopped pursuing the truck. 

However, Philly police helicopter, known as Tac-Air, always kept the suspect in sight, keeping the ground team updated on the suspect’s whereabouts. 

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The driver dangerously made it through what became a long zig-zagged drive across the city from North Philly to West Philly, frequently going over double yellow lines into the opposite traffic and coming close to three people who had just made a crosswalk. 

The pursuit finally ended on West Chester Pike in Upper Darby after sources say the suspect ran out of gas and then fled his truck, prompting an on-foot pursuit by police. 

From hopping fences to hurdling from yard to yard, police soon cornered him. 

Videos show the suspect lying down in defeat as police handcuffed him. 

Police also retrieved the stolen truck in what can be considered a safe and successful capture without any reported injuries.