A carjacking and pharmacy burglary today led to a police chase that came to an end at the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge, where six suspects were arrested and five were being sought.
he series of events began about 3:25 a.m. when a suspect carjacked a vehicle — a Mercedes SUV — with a passenger inside in the 1200 block of West Eighth Street in the Westlake area, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
“The passenger was released shortly after the car was taken. That vehicle was used when multiple suspects burglarized a pharmacy in the 200 block of Anaheim Street,” the LAPD said in a statement on X that was posted late Monday morning.
“Around 4:20 a.m., officers responded to a radio call of a burglary in the 200 block of Anaheim St. They saw (about) 11 suspects enter the vehicle and a pursuit ensued. In the area of Pier T in Long Beach all suspects ran from the vehicle. Currently, six are in custody,” the LAPD statement said.
“LAPD SWAT responded and is searching for a suspect who was seen on a catwalk under the … bridge,” the LAPD statement said. “No suspects are believed to have jumped into the water or from the bridge.”
The bridge, formerly known as the Gerald Desmond Bridge — along with part of the 710 Freeway — was closed about 6:30 a.m. at the request of police, and all lanes were reopened shortly after noon, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The owner of the pharmacy told KNX News he saw some people burglarizing the business on security camera and called police, who responded to the scene, prompting the suspects to flee in a white Mercedes. The owner said one of the suspects jumped into the trunk of the fleeing car.