Photo of gas theft from police car brings arrest

[April 19, 2012]  JENKINS, Ky. (AP) -- There it was on Facebook for all to see -- Michael Baker with a gas can, a siphon hose stuck into a police cruiser in eastern Kentucky and a middle finger raised.

Among those who saw it were Jenkins police, who arrested 20-year-old Baker on Monday and charged him with theft by unlawful taking.

Baker told WYMT-TV (http://bit.ly/HUTwfV) in Hazard there wasn't much fuel in the car to siphon and the stunt on Friday was intended as a joke. Baker's girlfriend took the photo and posted it.

Police didn't laugh. Chief Allen Bormes says that if Baker would steal from police, he'd steal from "just about anybody."

Authorities say they plan to buy lockable gas caps.

___

Information from: WYMT-TV, http://www.wkyt.com/wymtnews/

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.