Three people were taken into custody less than a week after they allegedly smashed vehicle windows to steal visible belongings at the Westfield Culver City shopping center, authorities said Friday.
The vehicle burglaries occurred Sunday at the shopping center at 6000 Sepulveda Blvd., according to the Culver City Police Department.
Officers identified a vehicle they believed was involved in the crimes and tracked it to a shopping center in Canoga Park on Monday, where they observed “suspicious behavior,” according to a police statement.
Officers attempted a traffic stop, but the suspects fled, prompting a pursuit that lasted until the driver lost control and crashed into a curb and a small tree at Winnetka Avenue and Prairie Street, police said.
The suspects were taken into custody without further incident after they learned police K9s were on the scene, officials said.
Officers recovered a firearm from the driver and another that had been thrown from the vehicle at the end of the pursuit, officials said. One of the weapons was reported stolen.
Evidence was found inside the vehicle, including items that belonged to the Culver City victims, police said. The three suspects, all Oakland residents, were booked at the Culver City Jail.