Police Respond to Neighbor’s Tip, Arrest 3

CHATSWORTH — A call from a neighbor to police about a suspicious pickup truck in a residential neighborhood led to the arrest of two juveniles and an adult Thursday morning on suspicion of home burglary.

Los Angeles police responded to the call about 9:15 a.m. from a neighbor in the 20000 block of Mayall Street, said LAPD Det. Bruce Oakley. When officers arrived, they determined that the truck had been stolen and that it contained about $5,000 worth of items from the house where it was parked, Oakley said.

Also, there were signs of forced entry and ransacking at the residence, he said. The residents of the house were not there.

The suspects, William Garcia, 20, a 15-year-old male and a 16-year-old male, all from Sylmar, fled on foot in three directions, Oakley said. Officers caught up with Garcia and the 16-year-old within a few minutes, and the 15-year-old was caught by a police dog after a short chase, the detective said.

“This crime resembles other crimes in the area,” Oakley said, adding that investigators are searching for links among the cases.

After being arrested, Garcia was taken to a local hospital because he complained of an asthma attack. “It turned out it was just an excuse and he was OK,” Oakley said.