Police officers in southern California recently interrupted a cargo theft in progress at a truck stop, and following a chase, arrested seven men in connectiion with the theft.
The Barstow Police Department posted the details of the event, which occurred Tuesday evening.:
The Barstow Police Department Dispatch Center received a call for service regarding a semi-trailer burglary in progress at a truck stop in the 2900 block of Lenwood Road.
The reporting party told dispatch that he could see multiple Hispanic male subjects stealing items from the trailer of his semi-truck and loading them into a van.Barstow Police officers responded to the location. As they approached the semi-truck, they were spotted by the subjects, who entered their van and fled the location.
Officers attempted a traffic enforcement stop on the van; however, the vehicle's driver, Victor Ramirez, a 62-year-old resident of Los Angeles, failed to yield to officers, and a pursuit was initiated. The pursuit terminated in the desert area near Osbourne Road and Agate Road when Ramirez stopped the vehicle, and seven occupants fled from the van in various directions.
Officers requested the assistance of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Aviation Unit, 40-King. BPD Officers, BPD K9 Boyke, and 40-King searched the area for the subjects. After an extensive search, all seven subjects were located and arrested without further incident.
RELATED NEWS: Cargo theft spikes in Chicago; LA holiday increase expected
Officers recovered over 100 Shark vacuums valued at over $23,000.00, which were returned to the victim.
Ramirez was transported and booked at the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Jail in Barstow on numerous burglary and traffic charhes.
The passengers, 28-year-old Jim Espinoza, 31-year-old Manuel Guerrero, 30-year-old Juan Guzman, 32-year-old Jose Rodriguez-Lozano, 26-year-old Piero Tobar and 37-year-old Geovany Washington, all residents of Los Angeles were transported and booked at the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Jail in Barstow on burglary charges.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation may contact Officer Gavin Riley at (760) 256-2211 or [email protected]. Those wishing to remain anonymous may also provide information by calling the WE-TIP hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27469) or going to www.wetip.com.
Southern California is a hotbed for cargo theft, according to several theft reporting organizations.
