Handcuffed suspect steals police rig

BONNERS FERRY, Idaho – A stolen Bonners Ferry police vehicle has been recovered, but the handcuffed forgery suspect who took it remained at large Sunday.

Police are searching for Shannon L. Kelly, who will turn 30 this month, according to the Bonners Ferry Police Department.

Kelly had been arrested Saturday evening as part of a forgery investigation, and was handcuffed with hands behind her back and placed into the police Chevrolet Tahoe. As officers searched the van Kelly had been driving, she somehow was able to get her hands in front of her, climb behind the wheel of the police SUV and drive away, police said.

Kelly fled southbound on U.S. Highway 95, but because of her head start and traffic, officers were unable to catch her.

Kelly made a call on the police radio a short time later to say she was lost on a back road and wanted the officers to come and get her. She described the general area and said she was parked there. But when several officers arrived, she wasn’t there and apparently never was, police said.

A couple of hours later, police found the vehicle in the Katka Mountain area east of Bonners Ferry.

There was no apparent damage to the Tahoe and the only thing missing was a personal cell phone.

Kelly also is known as Shannon McClellan, police said. Anyone with information should contact the Boundary County Sheriff’s office.