Raging fire consumes man’s house — then he steals a cop car, Arkansas police say

A man in Arkansas did something a bit strange just moments after he lost his home to a blazing fire, police say. It landed him in jail.

Just before 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, firefighters responded to a Rogers home engulfed in flames, KHBS reported.

Its owner — Coby Hurst, 46 — escaped without injury and firefighters ultimately quenched the fire, but the home was deemed a total loss, according to the news outlet. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

With his home destroyed, officers took Hurst to the Rogers Police Department to await help from the Red Cross, KFSM reported. As Hurst and the officers walked into the building, Hurst turned around and made a break for it, running for a nearby police car, jumping in then speeding away, police say.

Officers took off after Hurst, chasing him north onto Interstate 49, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported. Hurst was eventually stopped in Bella Vista, roughly 15 miles from Rogers, according to the outlet.

Hurst was arrested and booked into Benton County Jail where he’s charged with felony theft of property and possession of a controlled substance, according to jail records. He’s due in court on Jan. 6.