VIDEO: Car thief steals kayak in effort to escape troopers

CENTRALIA, Wash. - The Washington State Patrol (WSP) apprehended a suspected car thief after he used a stolen kayak to glide down the Chehalis River in an effort to escape troopers, new video shows.

WSP posted a video to social media on Thursday, showing the point-of-view of WSP aircraft "Smokey" as the suspect attempted to escape down the river.

According to troopers, Centralia Police were chasing a man suspected of ditching a stolen car near the Chehalis River and running off.

WSP says the man then stole a kayak from a home and began making his way downstream, seen using his arms as paddles while trying to outdistance law enforcement.

Despite moving with the current and possibly breaking the line-of-sight of troopers on the ground, Smokey was able to keep an eye on the suspect from the skies.

Eventually, the man beaches the kayak and tries to hide in some bushes next to a road. Smokey marked the suspect's hiding spot, and he was taken into custody once officers arrived at the scene.

Smokey is a Cessna aircraft used by WSP in traffic control, but it also has secondary uses, such as high-speed or off-road chases like this one.