Yakima police are irked that a man who pleaded guilty to car theft charges was released the same day on a furlough to see his dying mother.

Jacob John Lucey has been a fugitive since Nov. 1 when he failed to return from a 24-hour furlough. Hee's suspected in a carjacking incident last weekend.

Capt. Rod Light told the Yakima Herald-Republic the dying mother story was a ruse. He says the mother, Linda Cook, is not bedridden.

Cook told the paper she has terminal cancer.