Suspected Car Thief Briefly Eludes Police
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A 22-year-old Santa Ana man was taken into custody late Monday after allegedly stealing a vehicle, hitting two parked cars and a fire hydrant and evading a police officer, authorities said.
The suspect allegedly stole a Toyota van from outside a home on Libra Circle shortly after 10 p.m. and hit the parked cars as he drove away, Huntington Beach Police Lt. Dan Johnson said.
The van’s owner, who heard the collisions from inside her home and noticed the van missing, immediately notified police.
Within minutes, a patrol officer in the area spotted the van going north on Beach Boulevard and attempted to stop the driver, Johnson said.
The man tried to flee from the officer, but struck a fire hydrant, he said.
The man got out of the van and managed to escape, police said.
The suspect was captured about 10:30 p.m. after police responded to a call from a resident on Leafwood Circle who reported a trespasser matching the man’s description, police said.
Jesse Naranjo was arrested on suspicion of auto theft and hit-and-run. He was held in Huntington Beach City Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.
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