MOSES LAKE — An alleged vehicle thief was arrested in Adams County over the weekend after reportedly stealing a vehicle that was warming up at a residence in Moses Lake.

About 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning a resident on South Ironwood Drive started his vehicle to warm it up. After a couple of minutes Kenny Schappell, 31, reportedly entered the car and took off from the area, according to Moses Lake Police Department Capt. Mike Williams.

A deputy with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office located the vehicle near Lowe’s Home Improvement on East Yonezawa Boulevard and attempted to pull the vehicle over. Schappell reportedly fled the traffic stop and led deputies on a chase that ended in Adams County, where he was arrested and taken into custody. The suspect was found to be in possession of heroin and was booked into jail on felony charges for theft, pursuit and possession of illegal drugs.

Williams urged people not to warm up their vehicles and leave them unattended as they are warming up. He said in the winter the MLPD regularly sees a number of vehicles thefts that stem from people warming up their vehicle. People are encouraged to start their car, scrape the windows and take off.

“Preventing thefts is important to us, since incidents like this put a strain on the manpower of the involved agencies. This theft investigation/pursuit included a large number of officers from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Moses Lake Police Department, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol and the Othello Police Department; all for a largely unnecessary theft,” Williams said in part.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.