Shortly after midnight, poice officers spotted a vehicle reported stolen out of a nearby city while patrolling PCH near Warner, according to the Huntington Beach Police Department.
The police officers initiated a high-risk traffic stop, and the driver quickly pulled over without incident.
The driver was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle.
The suspect was male. He was wearing a long-sleeved plaid shirt and dark pants.
A friendly reminder: crime doesn’t pay in HB, but it can earn you a one-way ride to the HBPD jail.
Orange County has an average vehicle theft rate of 3.868 thefts per 1,000 residents per year.With a population of about 3.2 million, that equals roughly 12,400 stolen vehicles annually.
This breaks down to about 34 cars stolen every day across the county.In higher-risk areas (like the northwest part of the county), there are approximately 2,900 thefts per year.
The economic impact is significant—about $196 million annually, which averages $60 per resident and $183 per household.
Here are the penalties the suspect may face under California law for possessing a stolen vehicle (Penal Code § 496d):
- Misdemeanor charge
- Up to 1 year in county jail
- Up to a $1,000 fine
- Felony charge (wobbler offense—could be charged as felony or misdemeanor)
- State prison for 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years
- Up to a $10,000 fine
Whether charged as a misdemeanor or felony depends on factors like the suspect’s criminal history, the value of the vehicle, and the presence of aggravating circumstances.