A car theft suspect eluded police and deputies for hours Saturday before authorities caught up with him at a Chula Vista home.
National City police received reports of the stolen vehicle at about 11:30 a.m., according to OnScene.TV. Officers found the car and attempted to pull the driver over, but the suspect allegedly fled into residential neighborhoods at high speed.
The officers lost the driver on the city’s east side, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department ASTREA helicopter was summoned to help in the search, to no avail.
Authorities called the search off, but alerted local agencies to be on the lookout for the suspect and vehicle.
At approximately 5:15 p.m., a Chula Vista resident called police to report that a man was sitting in a car with two dogs in the driveway.
As Chula Vista officers arrived, the suspect took off, but this time when they attempted to pull the suspect over, on E Street west of Interstate 805, he complied and surrendered without incident.
Police arrested him, while calling in the city’s animal control officers to take in the two dogs.