Sometimes stolen vehicles are recovered with the suspect inside. Other times they're left abandoned along a road.

And, once in awhile, they're dumped out of sight. Or at least they're intended to be.

A 2001 Honda CR-V found over an embankment on Monday along the Spokane River at Post Falls' Corbin Park is part of a string of recent stolen vehicle cases.

The Honda didn't quite make it into the river as it was stuck on a boulder with the engine still running.

When law enforcement responded to the call from a resident at the park at 6:45 a.m., the air bags were deployed and the tires were rotating.

"A booster seat was pressed against the gas pedal," said Kootenai County Sheriff's Office Lt. Matt Street, adding that appeared to be how the vehicle was sent over the edge. "It didn't quite make it into the river."

The owner of the vehicle, who is from Edwall, Wash., west of Spokane, is on vacation and therefore never realized it had been stolen, Street said. He said a friend of the victim was contacted and the message of the theft was relayed to the vehicle owner.

Street said such news would be enough to ruin any vacation.

No suspects have been identified.

Those with information are encouraged to call the KCSO at 446-1300.

Post Falls Police said there were three recent vehicle thefts in that city, including one that resulted in a foot chase in Coeur d'Alene and the suspect threatening to use an unknown weapon on an Idaho State Police trooper.

A 2003 Kia Spectra that was stolen from a Domino's Pizza employee at the business at Seltice Way and Frederick was located by police in the area of U.S. 95 and Interstate 90 in Coeur d'Alene on Saturday night. The vehicle had been left running at the business.

After a short pursuit, the male suspect wearing a gray-hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans ran from the vehicle in the alley behind Albertsons grocery store and eluded law enforcement.

"The suspect threatened to use a weapon on a trooper," said Post Falls police Capt. Greg McLean, adding that a weapon was never displayed.

Those with information are asked to call Post Falls Police at 773-3517.

Meanwhile, a 2000 Dodge Dakota truck was stolen from the 1900 block of Rodkey Drive Thursday night or Friday morning. It was recovered on Cedar in Post Falls on Saturday - minus construction tools in the back.

"It appears a screwdriver was used to start it," McLean said.

In another vehicle theft case, McLean said police have a suspect in mind regarding a 1992 Mitsubishi 3000GT stolen Thursday night or Friday morning in the 400 block of Ridgewood Drive.

In Rathdrum, police arrested a stolen vehicle suspect early Saturday at City Park.

Michael S. Thompson, 31, Newman Lake, Wash., was in a 1996 Ford F-350 at the park after hours at 12:30 a.m. When a Rathdrum officer contacted Thompson, it was discovered the vehicle had been stolen from a Kootenai County resident.

Thompson was arrested on charges of DUI and possession of drugs and stolen property.

Police urge vehicle owners to lock their vehicles, don't leave personal belongings out, have lights on in areas where vehicles are parked outside and start neighborhood watch programs through their police department if one doesn't exist.