Police search for theft suspect in Boone County

The Zionsville Police Department is searching for a man accused of stealing a woman's purse from a vehicle Tuesday morning.

Police created a perimeter, which expanded 96th Street to 86th Street and Technology Center Drive to Michigan Road, in an attempt to apprehend the suspect.

Police said the suspect stole a purse from a parked vehicle near 96th Street and Zionsville Road. Police said the female victim witnessed the act and said the man fled the scene in a car.

"He called his girlfriend who actually owned the vehicle and said your car was just carjacked at 86th and Zionsville Road and they fired a shot at me," said Police Chief Robert Knox, Zionsville Police Department. 

During the search for the suspect, police said he crashed his car.  A firefighter nearby, who was unaware about the incident, attempted to free the suspect from the vehicle.  Police said that is when the suspect fled on foot.

“A Zionsville firefighter came up thinking the car might be on fire,” said Knox. “The suspect saw the red light and emergency vehicle he got out of the car and ran south into Marion County.”

Police said the suspect called his girlfriend before fleeing.  Officers said the man told his girlfriend he was carjacked and had been shot at.  Police said the girlfriend then called the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.