Glendale Water and Power truck ends up in landfill ditch

A 33-year-old man was arrested Sunday after he allegedly broke into the Scholl Canyon Landfill and tried to steal a Glendale Water & Power truck, which he planned to use to return home to Long Beach, police said.

But Brian Hoke apparently didn’t get very far. Police found the truck at about 9:30 a.m. stuck in a ditch inside the landfill in the 7700 block of North Figueroa Street, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

Hoke was reportedly hiding in some bushes just outside the truck.

“I think you would have an exit strategy if you are going to break into city property and steal a city truck,” Lorenz said. “In this case, this guy didn’t think it through.”

He reportedly drank too much alcohol at a friend’s home the night before and decided to leave, Lorenz said.

It’s unclear how he ended up at the landfill, but police believe he likely scaled a fence to enter the secured facility.

Hoke reportedly entered the city truck, found the car keys inside and decided to drive off in it to get back home, Lorenz said.

The truck may have gotten stuck in the ditch when Hoke was trying to navigate a turn, he added.

Hoke was taken into custody on suspicion of theft and unlawful taking of a vehicle, police said.

The truck was not damaged during the incident, but Lorenz said it has prompted city officials to step up their security measures for storing keys for city vehicles.

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Follow Veronica Rocha on Google+ and on Twitter: @VeronicaRochaLA.

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