Thieves try to steal car with cops inside

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. -- A New Bedford man is facing charges for trying to break into an unmarked state police cruiser with two state troopers sitting inside.

Trooper Paul Gifford says he and his partner were inside the vehicle in a convenience store parking lot on Monday night when they spotted a man "eyeballing" other cars in the lot.

Gifford says the man tried the door of one car, and finding it locked, moved to the idling cruiser. When he couldn't get in the police car, he moved to a third vehicle.

That's when police emerged from their car and made the arrest. Gifford says his vehicle has tinted windows and it's possible the suspect could not see that two people were sitting inside.

Jose Alvarez Nieves is charged with attempted larceny of a motor vehicle.