Tulsa Police Capture Juvenile Suspect Who Escaped Custody

Tulsa police arrest a 16-year-old boy for the second time Monday – first for a car burglary, then, after he jumped out of a patrol car on the way to the juvenile detention center.

A neighborhood in the 500 block of North Tecumseh was the midpoint of a several-hour search for a shirtless, teenaged boy wearing handcuffs.

The police helicopter circled just above the treetops, officers parked at intersections to get a good look down the street, and several of them knew the suspect.

Sergeant Rex Mann with Tulsa police said, “He's known to run from police.”

It started early Monday with car break-in near 21st and Sheridan. Police tracked two boys - one 15, the other 16, and that one escaped on the way to juvenile detention.

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“Juvenile was handcuffed, behind his back, but he was able to unlock the door and escape on foot,” Mann said.

With the help of a police dog, officers found his shirt but weren't sure how, with handcuffs, he got out of it.

Mann said, “He's very skinny, very small, described as being skinny.”

The boy jumped out of a police car at Gilcrease Road and Charles Page Boulevard. He was spotted near the Tulsa Country Club, and that's where police tried to contain him.

But, a couple of hours later, someone spotted him more than three miles away.

“He's an extremely fast runner. We've dealt with him on previous occasions,” said Captain Mike Williams. “He's pretty wiry. He was able to move the handcuffs from the back to the front.”

But this time, a driver spotted a boy running, wearing handcuffs, and called the police.

Williams said, “Stated he'd seen a young man running down the street wearing handcuffs. He pointed that direction. I drove the neighborhood and I spotted the individual and we played the cat and mouse game for several blocks.”

The teenage suspect was back in custody, for the second time Monday, and back on his way to juvenile detention; this time they made it there.

The officer who lost him the first time said he had used those handcuffs for 30 years and this was the first time he had someone run off with them.

They were recovered.