Escapee flees in stolen NW Indiana police car

KOUTS, Ind. — A man who escaped from northwestern Indiana police has stolen one of their cars.

The Times of Munster and the Merrillville Post-Tribune say anyone who spots a white Kouts Chevrolet Impala police car with a gold stripe shouldn’t approach the vehicle but report it to Indiana State Police at (219) 696-6242.

Police say it’s the only Kouts police car on the road and might have been headed for Illinois. Kouts is 50 miles southeast of Chicago.

Police say the prisoner was handcuffed but might be dangerous. His name hasn’t been released. He’s described as a white man with dark hair and a goatee.

The Post-Tribune reports he could be heard asking police over a radio where the key to the handcuffs was and where the car’s cigarette lighter was located.