UPDATE | Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) police yesterday arrested a man who allegedly stole two vehicles and crashed one earlier this month.
According to a CSULB crime alert, they arrested Anthony Arce, a 6-foot tall, 185-pound man with graying brown hair and brown eyes, in the City of Los Angeles.
The University Police Department (UPD) said Arce has no connections to CSULB and does not appear to represent an ongoing threat to the university community.
Authorities said that at about 9:00PM on Tuesday, November 8, a man allegedly threatened a student during an unsuccessful attempt to steal his vehicle in Parking Lot 19. Moments later in the same parking lot, the suspect demanded another student relinquish control of their vehicle. He was able to steal it and subsequently flee the area, according to the university.
“The suspect fled the campus in that vehicle until he crashed off campus in the city of Long Beach,” a notice from CSULB stated. “He then took another vehicle from a person in that area.”
At 9:45PM, Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) officers, who were dispatched to the 6300 block of Vista Street regarding a carjacking, learned a white Honda Fit that was stolen from CSULB collided with a tree near Loynes Drive and Vista Street, according to LBPD spokeswoman Marlene Arrona.
“Subsequently, the driver stole a Honda Civic that had pulled over after the collision,” she said.
PREVIOUSLY: CSULB Police Looking For Man Suspected of Stealing Two Vehicles Tuesday Night, Crashing One
On 11/09/16 at 2:41PM | Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) police are searching for a man suspected of stealing a vehicle from a student on campus Tuesday night, then crashing it at an undisclosed part of the city before stealing another vehicle and fleeing, university officials said.
Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) police are searching for a man suspected of stealing a vehicle from a student on campus Tuesday night, then crashing it at an undisclosed part of the city before stealing another vehicle and fleeing, university officials said.
Authorities said that at about 9:00PM on Tuesday, November 8, a man allegedly threatened a student during an unsuccessful attempt to steal his vehicle in Parking Lot 19. Moments later in the same parking lot, the suspect demanded another student to relinquish control of their vehicle. He was able to steal it and subsequently flee the area, according to a timely warning notice from CSULB.
“The suspect fled the campus in that vehicle until he crashed off campus in the city of Long Beach,” the notice stated. “He then took another vehicle from a person in that area.”
At 9:45PM, Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) officers, who were dispatched to the 6300 block of Vista Street regarding a carjacking, learned a white Honda Fit that was stolen from CSULB collided with a tree near Loynes Drive and Vista Street, according to LBPD spokeswoman Marlene Arrona.
“Subsequently, the driver stole a Honda Civic that had pulled over after the collision,” she said.
LBPD officers were able to recover the Civic on the 1600 block of Ximeno Avenue at about 1:30AM the next day. The vehicle was unoccupied, Arrona said.
No weapons were used during the commission of these crimes and not one was injured, officials said.
School authorities believe the suspect is not a student or employee. He is described as a white man, about 50 years old, 6 feet tall and about 200 pounds with light brown hair and hazel eyes.
The suspect is not believed to be in the area but CSULB police, along with other law enforcement agencies, are currently searching for him, according to the notice.
Officials recommend motorists to use the following vehicle theft deterrents: a case-hardened steel club, a kill-switch, or an alarm. Motorists should also remember to park in lighted areas, lock their vehicles and place personal property out of sight.
The LBPD is working closely with the CSULBPD in their investigation, Arrona said.
Anyone with information about this reported incident is encouraged to contact CSULB Police Department detectives by telephone at (562) 985-4101, or, if you wish, provide information through the CSULB PD Tip line at (562) 986-5131. Refer to report numbers 16-0809/16-0810. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call LBPD Robbery Detective Fermin Gonzalez at (562) 570-7464.
This story was updated at 5:07PM with information from the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD).