Car-theft suspect evades police

Lauren Vane

A man suspected in a string of vehicle burglaries in the Newport

Heights neighborhood eluded police after a brief pursuit Wednesday

morning, police said.

After bailing out of a moving vehicle when an officer attempted to

make a routine traffic stop, the man escaped police following a foot

pursuit through several alleyways. Evidence obtained from the car the

man was driving, a 1991 blue Nissan Maxima, connects him to several

reports of tires and rims being stolen off vehicles in the area, said

Sgt. Bill Hartford.

An officer on “preventative proactive patrol,” which was initiated

after several vehicle burglaries were reported, noticed a suspicious

vehicle in the area Wednesday morning, Hartford said.

When the officer tried to stop the vehicle, the driver slowed the

car to a crawl and jumped out while the car was still moving,

Hartford said. The man left the car at Aliso Avenue and Beacon Street

and police pursued him, involving the police helicopter and K9 unit,

but were unable to catch him, Hartford said.

The abandoned car crashed into a structure, causing minor damage.

The Nissan Maxima driven by the suspect was reported stolen from

Newport Beach on Tuesday. Evidence taken from the vehicle is being

processed to identify the suspect, Hartford said.

“At this time we believe this is the sole subject involved,” he

said.

The suspect -- described as a white man, about 25, 6-feet tall and

165 pounds -- was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt and dark

pants.

At least two or three vehicle burglaries in the neighborhood have

been reported over the last few days. In each instance, the tires and

rims were taken from a luxury car and the car was left resting on

cement blocks, Hartford said.

“Obviously they’re looking for customized wheel rims that are

obviously very expensive items,” he said.

Though vehicle burglaries are the city’s most common crime, theft

of vehicle rims and tires typically only happens several times each

year, Hartford said.