The City of Pittsburgh Police Bureau SWAT team took their armored vehicle to the Strip District repair shop for preventative and routine maintenance, including an oil change. Turns out it was anything but routine.
Target 11 found the armored vehicle Friday morning still sitting in the lot of the First Vehicle Services repair shop in the Strip District.
It’s been here for about two weeks, after a mechanical mishap.
A public safety spokesperson for the city of Pittsburgh confirmed to Target 11 that a mechanic responsible for changing the oil, drained the old oil, but apparently forgot to refill the armored vehicle with new oil.
When a mechanic took it out for a test drive, it damaged the engine beyond repair.
For years, the city has had a contract with First Vehicle Services to maintain and repair all city vehicles, from EMS ambulances to Police motorcycles.
First Vehicle had to install a new engine in the armored vehicle, and they did it at no cost to the city.
“The vehicle received a new engine… with an additional 2 years of warranty. It was replaced at no cost to taxpayers, PBP or the city of Pittsburgh,” said public safety spokeswoman Amanda Mueller.
The spokesperson told Target 11 there is a backup plan for situations like this.
The city has a spare armored vehicle and an Allegheny County Police armored vehicle is on standby, for emergencies only.
And over the past two weeks, we’ve seen the city’s spare armored vehicle respond to incidents, along with the county’s armored vehicle that assists municipal police.
The armored vehicle with the new engine has been repaired and is supposed to be returned to SWAT any day now.
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