Alert Neighbors Help Deputies Catch Man Suspected of Several South Bay Burglaries

From a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department press release:

On April 9, 2014 at around 9:30am, a watchful resident saw a suspicious male enter the backyard of a house in the 2000 block of Avenida Feliciano in the city of Rancho Palos Verdes. The resident knew that the man didn't live at the house, so the resident immediately called Lomita Sheriff's Station.

Deputies from Lomita station responded to the location and set up a perimeter around the area to make sure any potential suspects could not escape. When deputies approached the house that the suspect was believed to be inside, they saw the suspect walking out of the house. The suspect, a male black in his 20s, saw deputies and immediately ran from them. Deputies pursued the suspect on foot as he ran through residential backyards in the neighborhood. A helicopter from the Sheriff Department's Aero Bureau arrived and assisted in both observing the suspect and helping deputies narrow their containment area.

Deputies lost sight of the suspect, but knew he had to be within containment. A Department canine unit was deployed and located the hiding suspect. He was arrested and booked at Lomita Sheriff's Station. 

When deputies initially arrived at the house, they noticed a suspicious looking vehicle parked in front. Once the suspect was apprehended, deputies checked the license plate on the vehicle and learned that it had been reported stolen out of the Los Angeles Police Department's jurisdiction. Several witnesses told deputies that they had seen the suspect drive up to the house in the vehicle.

Deputies were able to contact the owners of the residence that the suspect walked out from and were able to confirm that the suspect did enter the house and did steal items from the home. All of the stolen property was returned to the victim.

Deputies discovered that the suspect is wanted in connection with other crimes in the South Bay. His name is being withheld pending further investigation.

The suspect was booked for burglary, resisting arrest, and driving a stolen vehicle.

This is a fantastic example of the community and law enforcement working together to apprehend criminals. A vigilant citizen saw something that didn't look quite right and called law enforcement, which led to the arrest of an individual that allegedly was engaged in a crime spree. We encourage all of our residents to be vigilant, and if you see something, say something.