Authorities last week arrested three people driving a stolen vehicle and say they may be part of a "significant auto theft ring."
Before they were arrested, the suspects led authorities on a high-speed chase until deputies with the Chisago County Sheriff's Office forced the fleeing driver to lose control and stop.
It all unfolded around 2 a.m. Oct. 23 when deputies responded to a call from a resident in the city of Stacy who reported that a vehicle was "freshly stolen" from a driveway. Police located the vehicle going north on Interstate 35.
The vehicle got off at the Rush City exit where deputies attempted a traffic stop. But the vehicle took off and got back on I-35 heading south at speeds topping 105 miles per hour, the sheriff's office said.
Deputies deployed stop sticks to puncture the vehicle's tires and slow it down. Authorities used a PIT maneuver, a tactic in which a squad can force a fleeing car to abruptly turn sideways, causing the driver to lose control and stop, to catch the thieves.
Three people inside the vehicle were arrested, the sheriff said in a Facebook post.
It may not be the only vehicle they have stolen. "The suspects are a part of a significant auto theft ring," the Facebook posting said without elaboration.
News of the theft and arrest came with a warning to residents to lock their vehicles and remove valuables from inside. It also asked residents to report suspicious activity in their neighborhoods by calling 651-257-4100.
