A vehicle pursuit was initiated in Valencia on Tuesday after officers with the California Highway Patrol Newhall Office spotted the suspects alleged to have stolen $72,000 from a Lululemon store in the city of Los Angeles.
The pursuit stems from undercover CHP units assigned to a retail task force working with Lululemon Athletica reporting that an alleged smash and grab at one of the company’s storefronts in Studio City had just taken place at approximately 11:20 a.m.
During the theft, the group of suspects are believed to have taken $72,000 in Lulu Lemon merchandise, according to the initial incident report. They then reportedly fled the store and scene.
“Undercover units followed the suspects and watched them get into a silver Volkswagen Jetta,” said Officer Josh Greengard, a spokesman for the CHP Newhall Office. “Newhall units were able to locate the vehicle on the northbound side of Interstate 5 around Magic Mountain.”
Greengard said that officers attempted to pull the vehicle over. However, when the suspects failed to yield, the chase was on, heading northbound through Castaic and up toward the Grapevine.
“CHP initiated a pursuit which traversed the Newhall and Fort Tejon areas at speeds in excess of 120 mph,” read the initial investigation report.
However, the pursuit ended shortly after the vehicle crashed at the bottom of the Grapevine, on the Bakersfield side of the mountain pass.
“As the vehicle approached Interstate 5 at Grapevine, it crashed and the suspects fled on foot,” read the CHP report. “CHP officers located and arrested all four suspects.”
Three suspects were taken into custody at approximately 1 p.m., Greengard said.
No injuries had yet been reported as of the publication of this story.
