Police: No arrests made in connection with stolen fire engine

Published 1:30 am Monday, February 2, 2026

EVERETT — No arrests have been made after an individual stole an Everett Fire Department engine and crashed the 35,000-pound vehicle into 14 parked vehicles before fleeing the scene in July, police say.

Around 10 p.m. July 18, 2025, the fire engine’s crew responded to a medical emergency on the fifth floor of an apartment building in the 2900 block of Hoyt Avenue. The fire engine, a 2018 Pierce Enforcer Pumper, was parked nearby and left idle with emergency lights on.

Fire agencies around the country will often leave vehicles idling to power emergency lights and other accessories.

Around an hour later, first responders returned to the street to find the vehicle missing and the wheel chock smashed.

Wheel chocks are cast aluminum blocks that prevent the unit from rolling and can hold vehicles up to 70,000 pounds. While effective, they are not meant to withstand being intentionally run over, according to an Everett Fire Department statement. The fire engine’s keyless ignition system, requiring a sequence of switches and buttons to start and place in gear, makes it difficult for unauthorized individuals to operate.

Upon the crew’s realization that the engine was stolen, Snohomish County 911 received the first call about a hit-and-run in the 1300 block of Hoyt Avenue, reportedly involving a fire engine striking two parked cars at high speed before fleeing the scene.

Around a minute later, law enforcement received similar reports from the 1000 block of East Marine View Drive involving a fire engine coming to a stop after “plowing into” 10 parked vehicles.

Everett police responded to multiple affected locations:

• 2900 Hoyt Avenue: The original theft location.

• 2600 Hoyt Avenue: A collision involving two parked vehicles.

• 1300 Hoyt Avenue: A collision involving two parked vehicles.

• 500 block of Alverson Boulevard: Damage to landscaping trees.

• Alverson Boulevard and West Marine View Drive: Damage to directional signs, curbing and grass.

• 1000 East Marine View Drive: a collision with ten parked vehicles.

Everett Police responded to the 1000 block of West Marine View Drive, where the suspect ditched the fire engine. Officers conducted a K-9 track, but no suspect was found. Nobody was injured.

At the time, the stolen engine was one of the newer ones in the fleet.

The Everett Police are actively investigating this incident and have no new updates that can be released at this time, according to Everett Police Department Spokesperson Natalie Given. Individuals with information can contact the tip line at 425- 257-8450 or Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at 1-800-222-TIPS.

The stolen engine is currently in the repair shop, according to Everett Fire Department Spokesperson Rachael Doniger. The department anticipates repairs will take another two to three months. The shop is waiting on specific parts that cannot be purchased from standard automotive suppliers.

Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com; X: @JennaMillikan