On Saturday February 23, Culver City Police responded to multiple reports of vehicle burglaries at shopping center located at the Westfield Culver City Mall located at 6000 Sepulveda Boulevard. Thieves targeted cars with visible belongings, smashing windows to gain access. Thanks to diligent police work, a suspect vehicle was identified, leading to a coordinated investigation.
Monday, February 24, Detectives tracked the suspect’s vehicle to a shopping center in Canoga Park, where they observed suspicious behavior. A traffic stop was initiated, but the suspect fled, leading to a pursuit. The suspect lost control of their vehicle and collided into a curb and a small tree at the intersection of Winnetka Avenue and Prairie Street. All 3 occupants of the suspect vehicle were uninjured and hearing K9 Officers were on scene, they decided to cooperate and were taken into custody without further incident. A firearm was recovered from the driver and a firearm that was thrown from the vehicle at the end of the pursuit was also recovered. One of the firearms was reported as stolen. Many pieces of evidence were found in the suspect vehicle including numerous items belonging to Culver City victims. The suspects, all 3 residents of Oakland, California, were booked at the Culver City Jail.
Great teamwork from our dedicated Officers and Detectives!