Police briefs

A suspected bank robber remains on the loose after taking an unknown

amount of money from the Washington Mutual bank at 19021 Beach Blvd.

The robbery occurred just after 5 p.m. Tuesday when the male robber

approached a bank teller, presented a note stating he had a gun and

demanded cash.

No weapon was shown, however, said Sgt. Michael Mello of the

Huntington Beach Police Department.

“The suspect was given the cash and the suspect walked away on foot,”

Mello said.

No vehicle was seen or heard after the robbery.

Police capture suspected car thief

Huntington Beach Police arrested a 24-year-old Huntington Beach man

Tuesday on suspicion of car theft after he led officers to a mobile home

park where he was surrounded by patrol cars and taken into custody.

Joshua David Laning was arrested after allegedly stealing a white

Oldsmobile van from a home at 616 Main St. in the Rancho Huntington

Mobile Home Park.

Lt. Chuck Thomas of the Huntington Beach Police Department said two

officers were injured during the chase. One suffered a broken thumb and

was transported to Huntington Beach Hospital while the other suffered a

bruised knee.

Four patrol cars were damaged, as well, Thomas said.

Laning was not injured and was booked into Huntington Beach City Jail

on charges of burglary, auto theft, evading police and parole violations.

Police received the call at 11:25 a.m. Tuesday, saying that two men

tried to break into a vehicle but were chased away by a third man to Main

Street and Palm Avenue.

Lt. Luis Ochoa said Laning then ran into a home at 616 Main St. and

asked a woman inside the residence to give him a ride. When she refused,

he took the keys to her van.

Laning then led police on a chase to the mobile home park, at 19361

Brookhurst St.

“The suspect’s car collided with the officers’ cars,” Thomas said.

“When he couldn’t drive anymore he jumped out of the vehicle and since

the officers were so close he only got about six feet before the officers

grabbed him.”

The second suspect got away.