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Category Archives: automobiles

Suspects arrested in Anaheim this afternoon after a police pursuit that began in Lakewood

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A police pursuit that began in Los Angeles County ended in Anaheim this afternoon.

The pursuit began in the Lakewood area as L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies began to pursue a driver. The pursuit continued into Orange County.

At about 12:22 p.m., the suspect headed through a parking lot in Garden Grove in order to cut through traffic and he then continued onto surface streets in Anaheim.

But that tactic backfired on the suspect when he stopped in another parking lot and ended up getting boxed in by the Sheriff’s Department vehicles as deputies drew their weapons.

The driver and two passengers were taken into custody.

The deputies originally thought that the driver was under the influence, but we still do not know exactly what triggered the police pursuit.

More than 50 vehicles have been stolen from O.C. residents by scammers who target Latinos

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – Orange County law enforcement agencies are warning residents about an elaborate scheme thieves are using to steal vehicles from members of the Latino community under the guise of hiring them to transport money using their own vehicles. Most of the victims were targeted through ads posted on Facebook Marketplace and other social media platforms and the transactions were mainly conducted in Spanish.

In more than 50 cases across Orange County, unsuspecting victims were left without the exorbitant sums of money they were promised to be paid for the job and without their vehicles after the criminals left in the vehicle after telling the victims they needed to take it to another location to load it with the money to be transported. The victims were left waiting on the street for their vehicle to return and the thieves never came back.

The Orange County Auto Theft Task Force (OCATT) has investigated more than 50 of these cases occurring in cities across Orange County since July 2021.

Because of the nature of the theft, some victims have been hesitant to contact law enforcement.

“These criminals are preying on those who may be struggling financially through advertising get-rich-quick schemes,” Sheriff Don Barnes said. “The Sheriff’s Department and our regional law enforcement partners are working to educate our communities about these criminal enterprises and how to protect themselves. Do not fall prey to these scams.”

“Members of the Latino community are being specifically targeted by these thieves in the hopes that they are too afraid to come forward out of fear that they too may be implicated in a criminal enterprise or have deportation issues,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “Many people have to rely on a single vehicle for transportation for their entire family to go to work and school and having that vehicle stolen is devastating. We will not allow these predators to continue to target vulnerable victims just to make a quick buck.”

“Through collaboration with our partnering Orange County law enforcement agencies, the Tustin Police Department has continuously worked to limit the impact of these crimes on our Latino community,” said Tustin Police Chief Stu Greenberg. “We will continue to thoroughly investigate any type of crimes reported to our Law Enforcement Officers while seeking to identify and arrest all individuals operating under this false pretense.”

If you have been a victim or have been solicited regarding this scheme, please contact your local police agency. Anonymous tips can be submitted to OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227) or at occrimestoppers.org.

Ladrones eligen como blanco a miembros de la comunidad latina en esquemas publicitarios del mercado de Facebook para robar al menos 50 vehículos

SANTA ANA, California – Las agencias de la ley del Condado de Orange están advirtiendo a los residentes sobre un elaborado esquema que los ladrones están utilizando para robar vehículos de miembros de la comunidad latina bajo el pretexto de contratarlos para transportar dinero usando sus propios vehículos. La mayoría de las víctimas fueron victimizadas a través de anuncios publicados en Facebook Marketplace y otras plataformas de redes sociales y las transacciones se realizaron principalmente en español.

En más de 50 casos en todo el Condado de Orange, las víctimas desprevenidas se quedaron sin las sumas exorbitantes de dinero que se les prometió que se les pagaría por el trabajo. Mas allá, las víctimas se quedaron sin sus vehículos después de que los delincuentes se fueron en el vehículo después de decirles a las víctimas que necesitaban llevarlo a otro lugar para cargarlo con el dinero para ser transportado. Las víctimas se quedaron esperando en la calle a que regresara su vehículo y los ladrones nunca regresaron.

La fuerza regional especializada en robos de autos del Condado de Orange (OCATT, por sus siglas en inglés) ha investigado más de 50 de estos casos que ocurren en ciudades de todo el Condado de Orange desde julio de 2021.

Debido a la naturaleza del robo, algunas víctimas han dudado en ponerse en contacto con la policía.

“Estos criminales se aprovechan de aquellos que pueden estar luchando financieramente a través de esquemas publicitarios para hacerse rico rápidamente”, dijo el sheriff Don Barnes. “El Departamento del Sheriff y nuestros socios regionales encargados de hacer cumplir la ley están trabajando para educar a nuestras comunidades sobre estas empresas criminales y cómo protegerse. No caigan presa de estos criminales”.

“Los miembros de la comunidad latina están siendo elegidos como en blanco específicamente por estos ladrones con la esperanza de que tengan demasiado miedo de presentarse por temor a que ellos también puedan estar implicados en una empresa criminal o tener problemas de deportación”, dijo el Fiscal de Distrito del Condado de Orange, Todd Spitzer. “Muchas personas tienen que depender de un solo vehículo para el transporte de toda su familia para ir al trabajo y a la escuela y que les roben ese vehículo es devastador. No permitiremos que estos depredadores continúen atacando a víctimas vulnerables solo para ganar dinero rápido”.

“A través de la colaboración con nuestras agencias de ley del Condado de Orange, el Departamento de Policía de Tustin ha trabajado continuamente para limitar el impacto de estos delitos en nuestra comunidad latina”, dijo el Jefe de Policía de Tustin, Stu Greenberg. “Continuaremos investigando a fondo cualquier tipo de delito reportado a nuestros oficiales de la ley mientras buscamos identificar y arrestar a todas las personas que operan bajo este falso pretexto”.

Si ha sido víctima o ha sido solicitado con respecto a este esquema, comuníquese con su agencia de policía local. Las denuncias anónimas se pueden enviar a OC Crime Stoppers al 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227) o al occrimestoppers.org.

Guaranty Chevrolet somehow sold a car to a guy with a fake I.D. who defrauded them

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On 8/22/21, a male suspect entered Guaranty Chevrolet and used a false CA driver’s license and fraudulent personal info to purchase a vehicle.

Suspect Description: Male, Hispanic, 25-35 years-old, 5’11” tall, medium build, tattoos on right side of neck & on hands.

Anyone with information on the identity/whereabouts of the wanted suspect is asked to contact Detective Romero (714) 245-8529 or BRomero@santa-ana.org.

The SAPD and other local police agencies issued 26 street racing citations last week

Posted on by Posted in automobiles, Crime, Garden Grove, Irvine, Santa Ana, Street Racing Leave a comment

In response to the continuous problem of street racing, the SAPD along with Garden Grove Police Department & Irvine Police Department (members of STEARRD – Strategic Traffic Enforcement Against Racing & Reckless Driving) conducted a street racing enforcement operation on 01/15-01/16 that resulted in:

  • (26) Citations
  • (2) 30-Day Impounds (2) Reckless Driving Arrests

Additionally, on 01/19 #SAPDTraffic along with Irvine PD & La Habra PD conducted a special detail resulting in:

  1. Felony Evading Arrest
  2. Reckless Driving Arrests
  3. Citations
  4. 30-Day Impounds

These activities have proven to be deadly and they pose a clear and present threat to public safety. The SAPD has a zero tolerance policy for reckless driving / street racing and has made this issue a top priority

In-N-Out Burger owner is hosting a charity car show and car cruise on Jan. 15 at the OC Fairgrounds

Posted on by Posted in automobiles, Cars, Charities, Costa Mesa, Entertainment, Food, OC Fair, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The owner of In-N-Out Burgers, Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson, and her husband Sean Ellingson are hosting the Cruisin’ 2 Freedom Car Show and a Car Cruise on Jan. 15 at the OC Fair and Event Center to benefit their non-profit, Slave 2 Nothing, which was established in 2016 to help improve the lives of individuals and families affected by substance abuse and/or human trafficking.

Here are the event details:

Polish up those wheels, maybe throw on an extra coat of wax and head down to the OC Fairgrounds for an unforgettable Car Show & Car Cruise.

Cars you’ve seen featured on In-N-Out T-shirts will be brought out from the Snyder Garage!

Enter a display vehicle in the Car Show for the chance to win prizes and take home Cruisin’ 2 Freedom commemorative gifts!

Or, start your engines and get ready to cruise, when you set off on a 22-mile drive that includes photo-worthy moments at iconic In-N-Out Burger restaurants located along the beautiful Pacific Coast Highway.

At the end of the cruise, you’ll wheel on back to the OC Fairgrounds, where you can enjoy a Double-Double fresh from In-N-Out Burger’s Cookout Trucks, take part in Special Raffle Giveaways, and bid on exciting Silent & Live Auction packages, all while learning more about the Slave 2 Nothing Foundation’s impactful work in our communities.

Wrap up the evening with a heartwarming Give Back activity as we come together to provide comfort and support to trafficking survivors.

Every penny raised by your registration and donations goes directly to organizations that are working tirelessly on the front lines to help eliminate human trafficking and save lives.

See you at the starting line!

AGENDA

  • 1:30-3:00PM – Display Vehicle Check-In
  • 2:30PM – Sponsor Cruise Line-Up
  • 3:00PM – Car Show Opens! Food Trucks & Music!
  • 3:30PM – Sponsor Car Cruise Begins
  • 4:30PM – Cruise Sponsors Return
  • 6:00PM – Welcome & S2N Program, Live Auction
  • 7:00PM – Car Show Awards & Special Raffle Winners
  • 7:15PM – Giveback Hygiene Kit Activity
  • 7:30PM – Thank You!

Click here to register for the event.

A man killed in Westminster this morning may have been a hit-and-run victim

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The Westminster Police are not yet sure if a man who was struck and killed in front of his some at the 6500 block of Walt Street was the victim of a hit and run or a homicide.

The man, thought to be in his 30’s, was found by the police in front of his home, after the police responded to a 5:30 a.m. call about a possible hit-and-run.

The incident happened south of Westminster Blvd. just north of Buckingham Park.

The Westminster police are trying to I.D. a suspect who tried to steal a pickup

Posted on by Posted in automobiles, Crime, Westminster 2 Comments

On Tuesday, July 13, 2021, at 0433 hrs., the pictured suspect removed the door handle and cut off the anti-theft lock from a ’95 Toyota pickup at 9011 McFadden Ave., in Westminster. The suspect left and returned at 0507 hrs. but was unsuccessful in stealing the vehicle.

Suspect 1: Male/Hispanic, 35-40, unshaven, medium build, blue mechanic/tow driver uniform with safety yellow stripes, blue ball hat

Suspect Vehicle: White, older model GMC Yukon

If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact Detective M. Ogawa at (714) 548-3799 or mogawa@westminster-ca.gov.

48 street racing citations were issued by the SAPD and allied police departments last week

Posted on by Posted in automobiles, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana, SAPD, Street Racing Leave a comment

The SAPD, in partnership with the Huntington Beach, Irvine and Garden Grove Police Departments, part of the STEARRD (Strategic Traffic Enforcement Against Racing & Reckless Driving) program conduct continuous street racing enforcement on a weekly basis.

Last weeks enforcement efforts resulted in:

  • 48 Citations
  • 1 Impound
  • 1 Arrest

These activities have proven to be deadly and they pose a clear and present threat to public safety. The SAPD has a zero tolerance policy for reckless driving and street racing and have made this issue a top priority.

O.C. job seekers are getting scammed out of their vehicles!

Posted on by Posted in automobiles, Crime, Fraud, Orange County, Tustin Leave a comment

The Tustin Police Department has posted a warning about a new scam that is happening in Orange County.

Apparently job seekers are looking for jobs on social media and in some cases are being told to use their personal vehicles to pick up or transport currency or even illegal contraband in exchange for $4,000 to $8,000 dollars. Sounds too good to be true? Of course! It is actually a huge scam.

What ends up happening is the victims are told to show up, in their vehicles, at a disclosed location. They are then instructed to hand over the vehicle so they can take it to another location to be loaded. If you hesitate at that point be aware that the suspects have been known to resort to taking the vehicles by force or fear if you refuse.

The vehicles are then driven away and are never returned. They are ultimately stolen!

If you actually do need a job we suggest you contact the Santa Ana Work Center instead. You may call them at (714) 565-2600.

An SAPD police pursuit led to a collision near Carl Thornton Park

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SAPD police officers tried to pull over a vehicle with two occupants at about 7:20 p.m. in the area of 5th and Laurel Streets, for a traffic violation, on Tuesday,  June 1. But as so often happens in Santa Ana the driver sped off, resulting in a police pursuit.

The driver of the pursued vehicle was so desperate to escape that he ran several stop signs and was driving at roughly 60 mph on neighborhood streets.. The fleeing motorist ended up crashing into another vehicle, then hit a tree as well, near Raitt Street and Segerstrom Avenue, just West of Carl Thornton Park, at about 7:30 p.m.

The person in the vehicle hit by the suspect’s vehicle suffered minor injuries.

The driver and passenger involved in the pursuit were arrested but the SAPD did not release their identities.

A resident tip led to the arrest of a catalytic converter thief in Costa Mesa

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Before 4 a.m. yesterday, the Costa Mesa Police Department received a call from a woman who believed a catalytic converter theft was occurring near a building carport at the 2700 block of Peterson Place. She reported seeing headlights and hearing the sound of a saw being used.

Police officers responded and attempted to detain a man, who quickly got into his vehicle and sped off through the complex. Officers activated their overhead emergency lights and initiated a pursuit.

The suspect attempted to evade and for a short distance, was on the wrong side of the road of Adams Ave. He then abandoned his vehicle at Baker Street and Mesa Verde East and fled on foot.

Officers quickly took the subject into custody.

Officers found an electric saw and a catalytic converter, which was later matched up to a victim vehicle in this picture.

The SAPD helped to issue over 445 citations to Coastal O.C. street racers and motorists with loud vehicles

Posted on by Posted in automobiles, Crime, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Street Racing Leave a comment

On Sunday, May 23, 2021, a joint enforcement operation utilizing over fifty motorcycle officers and other police officers from the Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD), Seal Beach Police Department (SBPD), Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD), Laguna Beach Police Department (LBPD), Irvine Police Department (IPD), Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD), Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) – Cities of Dana Point and San Clemente, California Highway Patrol (CHP) – Santa Ana and Westminster Offices, as well as four investigators from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and four referees from the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) participated in enforcement efforts along the entire length of Coastal Orange County as well as freeway and arterial access points to the coast.

The Newport Beach Police Department would like to thank our allied law enforcement and state agency partners for their assistance with this enforcement operation and we look forward to further joint operations in the coming months.

Because of this successful joint operation:

  • 445 vehicles were stopped for violations
  • 348 vehicles were cited for vehicle code violations (which includes loud/modified exhaust)
  • 44 vehicles were inspected on-site for modified exhaust violations by a BAR Referee
  • 16 vehicles were referred to on-site DMV Investigators for possible registration violations
  • 4 vehicles were cited for exceeding 100 MPH
  • 4 vehicles were stopped and the drivers/passengers were arrested for (2) possession/sales of narcotics, (1) unlicensed driver and (1) DUI

In March, the Newport Beach Police Department announced their intention to conduct enforcement operations in Newport Beach through summer focusing on loud/modified vehicle exhaust and street racing due to its growing, negative impact on residents’ safety and quality of life. NBPD Traffic Commander, Lieutenant Damon Psaros, commented that, “In the past few months, the Newport Beach Police Department has conducted several successful operations within the city, but the problem neither begins nor ends at our city limits. Through a partnership with every other law enforcement agency along Coastal Orange County, as well as several neighboring law enforcement agencies with freeway and arterial access points to the coast, this enforcement operation has significantly expanded.”

Those allied law enforcement agencies joining our loud/modified vehicle exhaust and street racing enforcement operations have experienced similar issues in their cities and jurisdictions. These participating agencies have pursued similar education measures as the City of Newport Beach such as issuing press releases, visiting car shows, as well as placing several electronic signboards with messaging in high traffic areas within their cities and jurisdictions to educate the public on vehicle exhaust and street racing laws in California. In preparation for these joint enforcement operations, the Newport Beach Police Department Traffic Division developed and hosted California POST-approved training for allied law enforcement agencies that will participate. The course involves both classroom and hands-on, in-field vehicle inspections under the instruction of referees from the California Bureau of Automotive Repair. This training ensures police officers can more readily identify loud/modified vehicle exhaust and other illegal modifications to vehicles to increase their effectiveness in enforcement efforts.

The Costa Mesa Police Department will focus on motorcycle safety enforcement this month

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COSTA MESA, Calif. (May 13, 2021) – The Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) has had extra officers out on patrol this month looking for violations made by drivers and motorcyclists that increase the risk of crashes. May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and the Traffic Safety Bureau will continue to conduct motorcycle safety enforcement until the end of the month. With nearly 900,000 registered motorcycles in the state, many road users are going places without the same protections as drivers. Motorcycle riders are 28 times more likely to die in a crash than are vehicle occupants. To help protect you and your family, keep the following tips in mind while driving or riding: 
Drivers

  • Always check twice for motorcycles in your mirrors and blind spots.
  • Use your signal when changing lanes.
  • Never follow a motorcycle too closely. Always keep a safe distance.
  • When at an intersection, allow enough space before turning.

Motorcyclists:

  • Always wear a DOT compliant helmet and protective gear like gloves and leather clothing.
  • Consider adding reflective tape to your clothing to make it easier for other drivers to see you.
  • Keep your lights on at all times, even during the day.
  • Do not assume drivers see you: signal well in advance before changing lanes and watch for turning vehicles.
  • Although lane splitting is legal, the practice is not encouraged at high speeds in free-flowing traffic, or between large vehicles like big rigs and motor homes.

 “Keeping the roads safe for our traveling community is our top priority, and the Traffic Safety Bureau recognizes the need to protect the public by looking for violations made by drivers and riders that puts the public at further risk,” said Sgt. Dan Miles. Funding for this enforcement is provided to CMPD by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The CA Democrats vote to ban the sale of gas powered cars by 2030

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OAKLAND, CA –At its annual convention, held virtually this weekend due to pandemic precautions, the California Democratic Party adopted a resolution calling on the state to implement a 100% Zero Emission Vehicle standard for new vehicle sales by 2030. It was adopted by the Resolutions Committee and can be read here (Resolution 21-04.100, reaffirmed by the party here). It will be sent as an official correspondence by the CDP to Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins, and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon.

“We are excited that the California Democratic Party is now officially in support of our bold but practical timeline for a clean car future,” said ZEV2030 founder Doug Linney. “It’s time for Democrats across the state to embrace the fierce urgency of our climate crisis and urge our lawmakers to implement the Zero Emission Vehicle standard.”

Leading up to the historic CDP vote, the ZEV 2030 resolution was endorsed by 12 Democratic County Central Committees: Alameda, Contra Costa, Lake, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Orange, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Solano, and Sonoma County Democratic Central Committees, representing almost a third of the state.

“The Zero Emission Vehicle resolution was a top priority of the CDP Environmental Caucus and brought together environmentalists and green jobs advocates from across the party and around the state,” said Igor Tregub, a co-author of the resolution and the new Chair of the Environmental Caucus. “That our party united behind Zero Emission Vehicles by 2030 is a testament to the consensus we’re forming around climate leadership in California. Now it’s time for the state to act.”

The CDP’s resolution comes on heels of similar resolutions passed in the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Culver City, and Richmond. More cities are considering the resolution this month, now with official Democratic Party support. The resolutions are part of a growing campaign organized by ZEV2030 to build support across California to urge state leaders to consider all available means to adopt the 100% ZEV standard by 2030. Inspired by goals established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to prevent the worst case scenario in the climate crisis.

The ambitious goal of California’s ZEV 2030 movement is being bolstered by unprecedented actions being taken across the country. The State of Washington’s legislature just passed a landmark ZEV 2030 standard called Clean Cars 2030. Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan is expected to include historic investments in electric vehicle manufacturing, purchase, and infrastructure. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for the phase out of internal combustion engines by 2030. And Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed mandating all new cars sold in California to be zero-emission by 2035, a goal ZEV2030 hopes to accelerate.

For more information on the ZEV2030 campaign, please visit https://www.zev2030.org.

Two suspects arrested in Irvine after a vehicle theft, police pursuit and a standoff

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An unidentified man and a woman were arrested by the Irvine Police on Wednesday following a vehicle theft and a high-speed pursuit that morphed into a long standoff.

The suspects were alleged to have stolen an Irvine resident’s car at an apartment at The Village at Irvine Spectrum, located near Irvine Center and Quasar Drives. The Irvine police received a call about the vehicle theft at about 9 a.m.  on Wednesday. The call reported that his Ford Mustang was taken by the suspects, who were from from Los Angeles County. The victim had recently met the suspects. The responding police officers had just finished interviewing the victim when they spotted the missing car near the complex at 12:27 p.m.

When the police officers tried to conduct a traffic stop the suspects sped off and the driver blew through red lights and was speeding on and off of the nearby 405 Freeway, according to the Irvine Police.

The police officers finally opted to stop pursuing the suspects in order to prevent a collision. They returned to the victim’s apartment building and ended up finding the stolen vehicle running in the complex’s underground parking structure at 12:42 p.m. The vehicle was empty.

The police officers then deployed a drone to survey the area and to announced that the police were searching for the suspects in the area. It turned out the suspects were back at the victim’s apartment. They pistol-whipped the victim and he felt coerced to stay put. He was however finally allowed to leave when the suspects heard the drone’s announcement.

The Irvine Police SWAT team then responded to the scene. They were able to talk to the suspects over the phone, in the apartment. The police officers negotiated for several hours then opted to fire less-than-lethal rounds, which broke the windows at the apartment.

About fifteen neighboring apartment units were evacuated by the police during the SWAT negotiation with the suspects. The police also asked people to stay away from the area, and a portion of Quasar Drive near the scene was blocked off Wednesday evening.

The female suspect finally came out of the apartment at about 8:43 p.m. followed by the male suspect about 10 minutes later. Both were arrested and not harmed.

The suspects are facing charges in connection with outstanding warrants as well as their actions on Wednesday including vehicle theft, the police pursuit and their assault of the victim.

The police have not yet made the identities of the suspects available.