Three people from Palmdale were arrested on suspicion of multiple charges involving grand theft auto, vehicle theft, grand and petty theft, among others, as well as outstanding warrants on Saturday near Centre Pointe Parkway and Golden Valley Road in Canyon Country, according to an official with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
A traffic stop was initially conducted by deputies after observing multiple vehicle code violations by the vehicle, according to an email statement by Deputy Mariela Picard, public information officer for the station.
Picard added that the vehicle was reported stolen and loaded with suspected stolen merchandise, too.
Deputies contacted the driver, a 39-year-old woman from Palmdale, and learned she was driving on a suspended license and had a $50,000 felony warrant, the statement said.
After further investigating the incident, deputies ascertained that both passengers, a 34-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man, both also from Palmdale, had multiple outstanding warrants, including ones for grand theft, petty theft, and narcotics-related offenses, according to Picard’s statement.
During a field investigation, deputies noted that the vehicle’s factory VIN number had been deliberately obscured, Picard’s statement said.
Locating the correct VIN, it was confirmed that the vehicle had been reported stolen and a subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered more than $1,300 worth of merchandise, still bearing store security tags, and the items were believed to have been stolen from retailers in the Santa Clarita area, the statement said.
Picard said all three suspects were arrested on suspicion of their outstanding warrants.
The driver was additionally arrested on suspicion of felony grand theft, felony vehicle theft, and misdemeanor driving on a suspended license, Picard’s statement read.
The female passenger was also arrested on suspicion of felony grand theft and felony larceny with prior convictions while the male passenger was additionally arrested on suspicion of felony grand theft, according to the statement.
The suspects were transported and booked at the station jail, and all remain in custody with the investigation ongoing at the time of this publication, the statement said.
