U.S. citizen arrested for driving cloned Border Patrol vehicle in California

Border Patrol agents arrested a U.S. citizen on Sunday in California for driving a vehicle made to resemble a Border Patrol cruiser.

Agents assigned to the Remote Video Surveillance System in the El Centro Sector alerted other agents about the cloned Border Protection Chevrolet Tahoe on Highway 98 on Sunday evening at around 6:25 p.m., authorities said.

When the agents tried to stop the car, the driver kept going. A brief chase ensued along the highway, according to a press release by the U.S Customs and Border Protection.

"An agent positioned ahead of the vehicle’s location successfully deployed a Controlled Tire Deflation Device to slow the vehicle down to a complete stop, near Mount Signal Road and Highway 98," according to the release.

When the agents approached the vehicle, an 18-year-old driver opened the driver’s door and fled. He concealed himself inside a nearby brush. He was later caught, police said.

The agents arrested the suspect and seized the SUV. A closer look at the car confirmed that it was a replica of a Border Patrol vehicle.

"The border in El Centro Sector is closed, and this is yet another example of our zero tolerance for smuggling and illegal entry," Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino said. "I am so proud of El Centro border security professionals who make it awfully hard on smugglers to ply their trade here!

#BORDERNEWS Looks like a real Border Patrol unit doesn’t it? It’s fake. Border Patrol agents in El Centro, California were patrolling the border Sunday night when they noticed the clone car. CBP says the driver suspect was caught and arrested. pic.twitter.com/NmnxrycWDH

— Sydney Hernández (@SydneyHdzTV) September 27, 2022