The couple accused of stealing two police cars and leading authorities on a high speed chase in two states on Tuesday are no strangers to the law, according to investigators. In fact, officials suspect they were involved in another police chase only two days before Tuesday’s ordeal.
Camden Police told NBC10’s Rosemary Connors that Blake Bills, 24, and Shayna Sykes, 23, are suspected of evading an officer during an attempted traffic stop on Sunday.
A Camden officer spotted a drug deal taking place involving a 2003 black Mazda Protege and when he attempted to pull the car over at 3rd and Erie Streets, the driver sped off, investigators say.
The officer gave chase onto I-676 in New Jersey where he lost control of the cruiser -- crashing on the highway. Police say the suspects got away and the unidentified officer was treated for minor injuries.
Police say the Mazda Protege was stolen from Sykes’ grandmother, whom Bills and Sykes lived with in Macungie, Lehigh County along with their 7-month-old child. Investigators say Bills and Sykes are suspects in Sunday’s incident and will “most likely be charged.”
“The two of them together were bad news,” said Pat Ferguson, who lives next door to Sykes’ grandmother and also claims he was once a victim of Bills.
Ferguson claims Bills stole jewelry from his home, but eventually returned it after having a change of heart.
“In my house, all that was missing was jewelry,” said Ferguson. “The next day all my jewelry was back in the house.”
According to a criminal complaint, Bills also stole jewelry as well as a computer from another neighbor’s home back in August. Those jewels were also eventually returned to the victims.
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Macungie Police Sergeant Travis Kocher also told Connors that Bills is the main suspect in an iPad theft at the Wal-Mart in Richland Township, Pa. Charges have yet to be filed in that case.
Sgt. Kocher says Sykes also has a checkered past.
“I’ve probably known Shayna since she was 12 or 13,” said Sgt. Kocher. “The grandmother was concerned about the path she was choosing.”
Sykes had minor brushes with the law involving theft and DUI as a teen, according to Kocher. He says he would periodically check on the woman after her grandmother reached out to him.
“Her grandmother asked if I or the department could provide a positive male influence for her, to get her on the right track,” he said.
Sykes and Bills face a slew of charges in the two-state chase Tuesday -- including resisting arrest, DUI, fleeing police and risking a catastrophe.
The couple remains in custody at Philadelphia Police's East Detective Division as they await arraignment.
Pictured: Blake Bills, 24, and Shayna Sykes, 23
