LAPD training cadets stole 3 police cars, and weren't discovered to be joy riding in them until they raced off though South L.A. leading cops in car chases that ended in separate crashes

The cadet program was designed to help cadets develop life-building skills, bond with officers and volunteer at events such as Dodgers games and the L.A. Marathon. Currently, about 2,300 cadets are enrolled. Cadets participate in an 18-week academy training program, taking various classes while getting an introduction to police work. Then they do grunt work and pay their dues while sorting out if they really want to apply to be LAPD

The chases sparked an investigation that revealed that cops have a lot less control over their inventory system than they thought, as 3 teen cadets faked a cops ID that was on vacation, stole a bulletproof vest, two stun guns and two police radios, the LAPD Chief Beck said.

The department became aware that two LAPD cruisers had gone missing around 5 p.m. yesterday, and it took all the LAPD could muster to find the cruiser in 2 and a half hours. See, they weren't aware that their cars were stolen. How about that?!

At about 9:30 p.m., the stolen cruisers were spotted near 77th Street Division’s headquarters.

So, now you know LAPD can't find their own damn cop cars in their own damn city on a full scale manhunt in less than the time it takes to drive from LA to TiJuana.

To be accurate, LAPD doesn't know how many cars are missing from inventory, or for how long. "One of the cruisers was stolen from the parking garage at Central Division downtown several days ago, according to two law enforcement sources. One of the others was taken from 77th Street Division, one source said. One of the cars may have been missing since late May, according to Chief Beck"

Think your stolen car has a snowballs chance in hell of ever being found when cops aren't looking for it? Nope.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lapd-stolen-cruisers-20170615-story.html