Two men and a 17-year-old boy suspected of stealing nearly $14,000 worth of merchandise from a shoe store in Seal Beach were arrested this weekend after a vehicle pursuit ended with a crash into a fire hydrant, according to police.
Authorities said they found one of the suspects hiding in a trash can after the wreck.
The ordeal began when officers responded about 2:30 a.m. Sunday to a report of a commercial burglary at the Private Sneakers store at 12410 Seal Beach Blvd., police said.
“A witness saw three suspects stealing merchandise from the closed business and watched as they fled the scene in a silver vehicle,” Seal Beach police Sgt. Nick Nicholas said.
Officers found the vehicle and attempted to pull it over, but the driver instead led them on a short pursuit that ended with a crash into a fire hydrant that became a geyser near the intersection of Westminster Boulevard and Bolsa Chica Road in Westminster, Nicholas said.
The suspects fled from the crashed vehicle and into a nearby neighborhood. Westminster police and a Huntington Beach police air unit assisted in searching for the suspects, one of whom voluntarily surrendered, Nicholas said.
Another suspect was found hiding in a trash can and the last under pool equipment in a home’s back yard, Nicholas said.
Officers recovered 280 pieces of clothing and accessories worth nearly $14,000 from the vehicle and the items were later returned to the store.
The store’s cash register drawer was also found inside the vehicle, Nicholas said.
The adult suspects—identified as Long Beach residents Darryl Williams, 18, and Desmond Maglory, 20—were booked at the Orange County Jail.
The juvenile, whose name and place of residence were not disclosed, was released to his parents.
Police continue to investigate the crime and urge anyone with information to contact Det. Jorge Muniz at 562-799-4100, extension 1108.