Stealing a license plate attached to a vehicle is always a bad idea.

Stealing it while three Palm Beach County Sheriff’s detectives sit inside conducting surveillance is probably worse.

Wesley J. Kelley of Loxahatchee made things worse by fleeing after he was confronted by a detective. Kelley nearly hit a second detective with the stolen vehicle he was driving, then crashed through a chain-link fence before he was apprehended.

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While being taken to the Palm Beach County Jail, Kelley admitted he drove through a fence belonging to FedEx Freight at 5850 Premier Park Drive, near 45th Street and Haverhill Road in surburban West Palm Beach, because "he always wanted to try ramming a gate with a car to see if it would bust open like in the movies," the report said.

Kelley also told the detectives he needed to be arrested because it was a "matter of time" before he hurt himself or someone else."

The incident took place July 17.

Kelley is being held in lieu of $135,000 bail and is facing charges of burglary causing damage over $1,000, assault on an officer, unarmed burglary, vehicle theft, possession of burglary tools, fleeing and eluding police and resisting an officer without violence. There is also an active warrant for Kelley that was requested by the U.S. Marshals Service, the report said.

The detectives were doing surveillance in an unmarked car at a second address on Premier Park Drive when Kelley pulled up behind them. The report said he pulled on a pair of gloves, then attempted to open the door to the patrol car and detach the license plate, the report said.

Kelley became nervous when confronted by the detective and said he was sorry before jumping into his car and taking off, the report said.

After his car became disabled from crashing into the fence, Kelley ran and hid inside a dumpster for 50 minutes.

While attempting to flee from police, Kelley allegedly tried to break into the King’s Kid Early Learning Center at Haverhill Road and Caribbean Boulevard, but was unable to get in.

The details of the arrest warrant held by the U.S. Marshals Service was not available.

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