Woman inmate steals van near Ellensburg with unsuspecting passenger

An inmate stole a van near Ellensburg Tuesday morning, taking the person inside on an unexpected ride.

Rebecca Tupuola, a 27-year-old woman from Wapato, stole a parked jail transport van that was bound for King County as part of a routine transfer of inmates between county jails, the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office reported in a Facebook post. Tupuola was in custody on theft-related charges.

Inmate steals van with another inmate inside

In the back of the van was another inmate, who is not believed to be associated with Tupuola.

Transporting officers notified local law enforcement, who responded to find the van.

The man sitting in the van called 911 from a cell phone left inside the vehicle and said Tupuola had dropped him off in a field. Officers found the man near Naneum Road and Game Farm Road, east of Ellensburg.

He also told law enforcement that Tupuola had gone into a house and come out with cash and that she was hiding in a tree line.

Deputies arrived and worked to find Tupuola, alerting nearby residents to lock their doors and stay inside. Additional units arrived and secured a perimeter around Tupuola, who eventually surrendered and was taken into custody.

The sheriff’s office is now conducting a criminal investigation into possible charges for escape, theft of a motor vehicle, and burglary. Tupuola’s transport to King County was delayed, as she is now booked in the Kittitas County Jail.

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