Two teens charged with riding stolen car and hitting MSCO patrol car in Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Two teenagers are charged with riding in a stolen Hyundai and intentionally hitting a Monroe County Sheriff’s patrol car Thursday on Rochester’s southwest side.

Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies say the Stolen Vehicle Task Force, a collaboration between multiple local law enforcement agencies, made the arrests. They say the driver was 14 and the passengers were 12 and 13.

The task force began investigating after 911 calls for a car driving recklessly around Frost Avenue and Reynolds Street. Task force members spotted a Hyundai and tried to pull it over.

The task force said the driver refused to stop and struck the patrol car. That led to a chase which ended on Owen Street, where the Hyundai stopped and the three people inside ran. After a foot chase, the task force took three people into custody.

The 14-year-old driver is charged with criminal mischief and criminal possession of stolen property, both felonies. Deputies say the teen had an ankle monitor because of a robbery charge from Aug. 1.

The 13-year-old passenger is charged with criminal possession of stolen property, a felony. The 12-year-old passenger was released to a guardian. The two teens facing charges were taken to the Monroe County Children’s Detention Center, where they await arraignment.

On Thursday night alone, the task force made three felony arrests, one misdemeanor traffic arrest, seven traffic violations, and four recovered stolen vehicles.

Local leaders have raised alarms about an increase in thefts for Kia and Hyundai models because of how-to videos circulating on social media. Leaders also say the two automakers failed to add proper anti-theft technology, making the cars easy to hotwire with a USB cable.