LUBBOCK, Texas — One person was arrested after a police report said he stole a vehicle while it was running at a Central Lubbock convenience store Wednesday night.
At approximately 10:50 p.m., an officer responded to the 700 block of 19th Street about a stolen vehicle, according to a Lubbock Police report.
When the officer spoke to the victim, he said he went to 7-Eleven, 3802 34th Street, to purchase some items. He said he left his pickup unlocked and running with the air conditioner on due to having his dog.
The victim said he was in the store for no longer than two minutes. However, that was long enough for Tanner Cade Halterman, 26, to jump into the driver’s side of the pickup and drive westbound on 34th Street, according to the report.
A witness inside the store said he saw a white man with long blonde hair get into the vehicle. The witness then asked the victim if he was sharing his cellphone connection with anyone since the victim said he left his phone in his pickup.
The victim, according to the report, called his girlfriend to provide him with updates on a phone location. Then, the victim and the witness got into the witness’ vehicle to head to the location coming from the victim’s phone.
The victim said the location on his phone was between 19th Street and 18th Street around Buddy Holly Avenue. He said he and the witness were able to find the pickup at the location the officer was dispatched to in the 700 block of 19th Street, the report said.
The witness attempted to get in front of the vehicle to get it to stop, but that did not happen.
The victim got out of the witness’ vehicle and attempted to pull Halterman out of the driver’s side. But Halterman jumped into the passenger seat instead, the report said.
The victim then approached Halterman on the passenger side vehicle, pulled him from the vehicle and punched him several times in the face to stop him from escaping or reentering his pickup.
Halterman was arrested and booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center for unlawful use of a motor vehicle on a $10,000 bond.
