One arrested, one at large after theft from department store, chase

IOWA COUNTY - Several law enforcement agencies in Eastern Iowa are still looking for a woman who is believed to be involved with stealing items from a Cedar Rapids department store and a multiple-county chase Wednesday afternoon.

Cedar Rapids police responded to Kohl's, 3030 Wiley Boulevard SW, at 1:45 p.m. for a report of a theft or robbery in progress, according to spokesperson Greg Buelow.

Officers spotted a suspect vehicle, a 2005 Ford Escape, leaving the parking lot and tried to get it to pull over. The car did not stop and tried to get away, leading police out of city limits and heading west on Highway 30.

The car attempted to elude law enforcement on several gravel roads before entering a farm yard, where the two inside the car got out and ran into a field. Police found the vehicle in the 3100 block of 120th Street north of Amana in Iowa County.

Cedar Rapids police, along with deputies from Benton and Iowa counties and troopers from the Iowa State Patrol were involved in the search for those inside the car. K-9 units from Cedar Rapids, Benton and Iowa counties, along with the state patrol's aircraft, also assisted with the search, Buelow said.

The driver of the Escape, identified as 42-year-old Chandis Perry, of Cedar Falls, was arrested. He has an outstanding warrant and will face several traffic charges as a result of the chase, police said. The passenger, who was not identified, remains at large and has several warrants for her arrest.

Police believe she stole clothing and jewelry from Kohl's and Perry was the getaway driver.

Investigators later determined no weapons were displayed inside the store, Buelow said.