Suffolk police say a man with a long rap sheet chose the wrong car to steal when he picked a county vehicle equipped with a GPS tracking device.

According to police, 40-year-old Brian Davis stole the Suffolk Health Department van Thursday morning when the driver ran into his Riverhead home for his wallet. Police say as Davis drove to Southampton and stopped at a McDonald?s on North Sea Road, he was tracked by Riverhead police, a Suffolk police helicopter and Southampton Village cops.

Police say Davis dumped the van and ran off on High Street. Officers were able to tackle Davis as he ran through backyards.

Police say Davis is no stranger to law enforcement. He has 17 arrests for various offenses, including murder, for which he pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

The Suffolk GPS system costs the county $68,000 a year to protect its 240 vehicles. Police say the technology is also helping recover more cars stolen from residents. So far, Suffolk police say they have retrieved 12 cars using the devices.