Burglary at Mission Viejo Mall Leads to High Speed Pursuit

As I write this a high speed pursuit is heading through the Culver City area.  The suspect is wanted for multiple burglaries at a jewelry store at Mission Viejo Mall.  The pursuit covered a lot of ground in various Orange County cities before the suspect headed west on the 91 into L.A. County.  More info to follow.

Our local mall has been a popular spot for jewelry store heists as I've written about before here and here.

UPDATE 1:53 pm - Pursuit is heading down the hill into Sherman Oaks and the suspect is really flying.  However, it's a pretty sure bet the guys in the CHP cars are better drivers than this yahoo.

1:56 pm - Suspect abruptly pulls over on the 101 in Sherman Oaks and appears to be ready to surrender.  It going to be a tough afternoon on the 101.

1:59 pm - Now reported as a female suspect who shoplifted from several Mission Viejo Mall stores.  Is refusing to exit her car.  CHP is talking to her through the closed window.

2:02 pm - CHP cars block the suspect in, she opens her door and is taken into custody.  Looks like a black female in her 30's.  Nobody hurt and everybody gets to go home tonight...except the suspect.  Good news.

Very unusual ending.  I don't think I've ever seen CHP officers walk up to a car like that and negotiate within inches of the suspect.  The pursuit went on for about an hour.

UPDATE from The OC Register:

An hour-long high-speed pursuit that started in a South County mall has led deputies from freeways and surface streets in Orange County to Los Angeles, authorities said.


Deputies with the Orange County Sheriff's Department and officers with the California Highway Patrol began pursuing the suspect in Irvine at about 12:40 p.m., said Sheriff's Lt. Jim England.


Deputies responded to a series of commercial burglaries at The Shops at Mission Viejo and were directed to a silver Pontiac Grand Prix by a witness, England said.


When deputies tried to pull over the female driver, she sped away, England said.


Deputies are currently investigating at least two burglaries in the shopping center, England said. Investigators are still looking into the loss.

I listened to about half the pursuit on the Orange County "Red" Channel, the countywide emergency channel monitored by all the agencies here, and watched the last 10 minutes or so on TV. If the bad guys could hear what I heard they'd quit running and just pull over. The coordination between agencies was very smooth, with several different helicopters taking turns on the pursuit, and units from various agencies joining in and leaving. The CHP used units from a number of their divisions, thus ensuring the suspect was not going to get away.  Once they're on you it's pretty much over.  You're not going to outrun a radio.