San Leandro police chase on I-880 ends in fiery Oakland crash
(KRON) — A trio of suspected car burglars led San Leandro police on a chase along Interstate-880 until their getaway car crashed in Oakland and burst into flames Tuesday, investigators said. Two of the suspected burglars bolted from the blazing, mangled vehicle and remain at large.
San Leandro Police Department Lt. Abe Teng said the incident shows officers take property crimes seriously.
“Especially with these crimes that are in-progress, and are being called in by residents who are alert and are actually reporting the crimes to us. We’re going to respond, and if our officers see the suspects, we’re going to try to apprehend them,” Teng told KRON4.
Emergency dispatchers received a 911 call around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday reporting that burglars were targeting cars in a San Leandro neighborhood on Donovan Drive. There are only two ways in and out of the neighborhood.
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One SLPD officer spotted the suspect vehicle and a high-speed police chase ensued onto I-880. The alleged thieves lost control on the 29th Avenue offramp in Oakland and slammed into a wall.
“It failed to fully navigate the offramp and ended up colliding into the wall … as well as a pole,” Teng said.
Teng said, “Anytime police are engaged in a vehicle pursuit, whether it’s on city streets or the freeway, you know, there’s inherently an amount of risk involving all the participants. Whether it’s officers, the suspects fleeing, and to the public in general. There’s always a lot of considerations that are being taken by the officers and the supervisors that are monitoring to make sure … (the crime is) worth the risk that we are taking.”
The driver and front seat passenger fled on foot, and evaded arrest. The backseat passenger was caught while trying to flee.
The backseat passenger was later released from custody because officers were unable to confirm whether he committed a crime, according to SLPD.
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