An SAPD K9 police dog took down a car theft suspect who was hiding in a backyard

Our readers alerted us that there was a major SAPD police response yesterday in central Santa Ana. It turned out to be a police pursuit of a suspect who stole a vehicle.

That suspect, an unidentified man in his mid-20’s, was spotted at about 4:15 p.m. in a stolen vehicle near Flower and First St., by SAPD police. A police helicopter then followed the car until the suspect crashed it into a parked vehicle at the 500 block of South Poplar St., according to the O.C. Register.

The suspect ran out of the car to the backyard of a nearby home. He then refused to come out of that backyard after the police officers asked him to surrender.

The police then sent in a K-9 police dog who proceeded to do his job and bite the suspect, who was then finally arrested.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft, according to the SAPD. I expect a few more charges will be tacked on for good measure.

This crime originated in Santa Ana’s Ward 2, which is represented by Council Member Michele Martinez. The suspect was arrested in Ward 4, which is represented by Council Member David Benavides.

Art Pedroza Editor

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

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