Man tries to go home for holidays, in fire truck

Police in Utah say the man wanted to steal vehicle for drive to Washington

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updated 3:06 p.m. ET Dec. 23, 2008

SOUTH SALT LAKE, Utah - What kind of mileage does that thing get? Police in South Salt Lake, Utah, have arrested a man they say tried to steal a fire truck so he could drive home — to Washington — for Christmas.

Detective Gary Keller says firefighters on a medical call heard the $500,000 truck's air horn blaring Monday and ran outside. They found a man in the driver's seat trying to drive away.

After a lengthy struggle, firefighters were finally able to subdue the man until police arrived.

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Police say the 25-year-old man told them he wanted to go to Washington to see his mother for Christmas.