AUSTIN, TX — A 24-year-old man led Austin police on what officers are calling “a pursuit in the loosest possible sense of the word” Wednesday evening when he attempted to flee a theft scene on a rented electric scooter traveling at a top speed of 8 miles per hour, before bringing the chase to a natural conclusion by stopping at a charging station because the scooter’s battery had reached 2 percent.

Kyle Brennan Apodaca allegedly shoplifted a pair of wireless earbuds from an electronics store on South Lamar and made his escape on a Lime scooter parked outside. Officers responding to the theft call located Apodaca approximately one block away, putt-putting down the bike lane at a speed one officer described as “slightly slower than my aunt walks.”

The Chase Charges On. Then It Doesn’t.

Officers followed Apodaca for approximately six blocks at idle speed. According to the report, Apodaca repeatedly glanced over his shoulder while making no meaningful gains in distance, occasionally ringing the scooter’s bell at pedestrians. The pursuit ended when the scooter, beeping a low-battery warning, slowed to a crawl and Apodaca pulled over at a designated Lime charging dock.

“He stopped to plug it in. He told us, ‘I just need a couple minutes of charge.’ Sir, you are being pursued by law enforcement. This is not a road trip. You cannot stop for gas.” — Officer Priya Nadkarni, Austin PD

Apodaca was taken into custody at the charging dock without incident. The earbuds were recovered, still in packaging, from his hoodie pocket. He was booked into the Travis County Jail on charges of theft and evading arrest — the latter charge prompting a note from the arresting officer reading “evading is generous.” His JailReport.lol booking is trending under Dumb Criminals. Bond was set at $1,000.