Briefly in public safety

Two arrests for stolen car radios

A Costa Mesa man and a 17-year-old boy were arrested on suspicion of grand theft and receiving stolen property Saturday in the 900 block of Mackenzie Place in Costa Mesa Saturday morning, Costa Mesa Police Lt. Dale Birney said.

Police arrested Santa Ana resident Alejandro Mentado-Mendoza, 20, and the 17-year-old Costa Mesa boy in the 2800 block of Bear Street for vehicle burglary after finding five car stereos in the car they were in, Birney said.

Police received a call from neighbors around 5 a.m. Saturday after they saw thieves breaking into vehicles, Birney said.

When neighbors confronted the burglars they drove off, Birney said. The residents were able to give a partial vehicle description and a license plate number to police, Birney said. Investigators later tracked down Mendoza and the other suspect, Birney said.

Birney said some of the car stereos found in the car may have come from burglaries on Paularino Street.

Medoza’s bail has been set at $20,000 and he was scheduled to be arraigned today.

Costa Mesa man accused in drug case

A Costa Mesa man was arrested Saturday afternoon after leading police on a short foot pursuit on Wallace Avenue and Center Street in Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa police said.

Joel Penaloza Orozco, 26, was taken into custody around 2:30 p.m. after he allegedly ran from police and threw about 11 grams of cocaine into a nearby yard, Lt. Loren Wyrick said.

He was arrested for a parole violation, possession of a controlled substance for sale and resisting arrest, Wyrick said.