Los Alamitos Police officers arrested two minors and one adult after investigating a theft from a resident’s car in the Rossmoor Highlands neighborhood. The search for suspects ultimately triggered a pursuit that led to the 605 Freeway and ended in Hawaiian Gardens. The initial investigation also recovered two stolen vehicles.
The following is the Los Alamitos Police Department’s account:
Shortly before 2 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 7, officers from the Los Alamitos Police Department were called to the 12100 block of Cherry Street in the Rossmoor Highlands after a resident reported seeing someone ransacking her parked car.
No suspects were immediately located, but after establishing a containment and searching the neighborhood, thefts from three additional vehicles were discovered. With the assistance of the Cypress and Seal Beach police and security personnel from the Joint Forces Training Base, officers continued their search and subsequently located and arrested two underage boys from Hawaiian Gardens.
They also located and recovered a red 1991 Ford Tempo, reported stolen from Lakewood. It is believed the suspects used the vehicle to travel to the neighborhood. One of the juveniles was found hiding on the side of a residential home, and the second juvenile was found hiding on the Joint Forces Training Base, bordering the Rossmoor Highlands neighborhood.
As the containment and search unfolded, an officer observed a suspicious blue 2008 Lexus SUV drive in and out of the neighborhood. When the officer attempted to stop the vehicle to investigate, a pursuit ensued through the unincorporated area of Rossmoor and onto the 605 freeway. The pursuit terminated in Hawaiian Gardens near the intersection of Carson and Norwalk Blvd following the suspect vehicle’s collision with a raised center median. The driver of the SUV fled the area, but an adult female passenger was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit. It was discovered that the SUV had just been stolen in Seal Beach, although the theft had not yet been reported.
Reyna Olivas Vasquez, 22, of Hawaiian Gardens was taken into custody and booked at Orange County Jail on charges of possession of stolen property and obstruction.
The identities of the juveniles are being withheld; however, one juvenile was released to his legal guardian while the other, a walk-away from the Los Padrinos Juvenile Facility in Downey, was returned to their custody. The juveniles will also be charged with possession of stolen property and obstruction.
The investigation remains on-going and the police are seeking any additional victims or witnesses. Anyone with information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact the Los Alamitos Police Department at (562) 594-7232.
